Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a phase shifter, comprising: a base dielectric layer; a tunable dielectric layer overlaying at least a portion of the base dielectric layer; and at least two conductors overlaying at least a portion of the tunable dielectric layer, the at least two conductors positioned so as to form a slot-line topology. In an embodiment of the present invention the slot-line may be between 2 ?m and 5 ?m wide and the tunable dielectric layer may be between 0.3 ?m to 1.5 ?m thick. Further, the slot-line topology may be a uniform slot-line topology throughout the length of the at least two conductors and the slot-line topology may have an edge ratio defined by r=Llow/(Llow+Lhigh). The edge ratio may be optimized for minimizing metal loss and minimizing dielectric loss for a given phase shifter length. In an embodiment of the present invention the value of r may be between 0.1 and 0.2.

Abstract: A stacked antenna, comprising a lower path which may include a coplanar microstrip capable of feeding and stacked antenna and an upper patch which may include at least one slot-like part thereon, wherein the at least one lower patch may be coupled to the upper patch. The lower patch may further include at least one strip-like part formed by at least one hole in the lower patch and the coupling may be accomplished between the lower patch and the upper patch by the at least one strip-like part of the lower patch at least partially crossing over or partially crossing.

Abstract: A stacked antenna comprising a first patch including at least one slot-like part thereon, a second patch including at least one strip-like part thereon; and wherein the at least one slot-like part of the first patch at least partially crosses over or partially crosses under the at least one strip-like part of the second patch thereby forming a coupling region. The at least one slot-like part may be formed by at least one notch in the first patch and the at least one strip-like part may be formed by at least one hole in the second patch.

Abstract: A smart radio incorporating Parascan® varactors embodied within an intelligent adaptive RF front end. More specifically, this is provided for by a smart radio incorporating Parascan® varactors embodied within an intelligent adaptive RF front end that comprises at least one tunable antenna; at least one antenna null steering facility associated with said at least on tunable antenna; at least one tunable duplexer receiving the output from and providing input to said at least one antenna null steering facility; a first tunable RF filter receiving the output from said at least one tunable duplexer and providing the input to an analog to digital converter, said analog to digital converter providing the input to a digital signal processor, the output of which is input for a digital to analog converter; a second tunable RF filter receiving the analog output of said digital to analog converter and providing an input to said at least one tunable duplexer.

Abstract: A single, dual form computing device is provided that incorporates the functionality of a laptop computer with that of a handheld or palm-size computing device, and allows each functionality to be selectively employed. The dual form computing device operates in one of two modes. While operating in a first “instant on” mode, the dual form computing device provides functionality similar to that of a handheld device, whereby a lengthy bootstrap process and operating system load is not required. While operating in a second “non-instant on” mode, the dual form computing device operates substantially like a laptop computer. Additionally, the dual form computing device is equipped to share input and output devices independent of the operation mode it functions in.

Abstract: A single, dual form computing device is provided that incorporates the functionality of a laptop computer with that of a handheld or palm-size computing device, and allows each functionality to be selectively employed. The dual form computing device operates in one of two modes. While operating in a first “instant on” mode, the dual form computing device provides functionality similar to that of a handheld device, whereby a lengthy bootstrap process and operating system load is not required. While operating in a second “non-instant on” mode, the dual form computing device operates substantially like a laptop computer. Additionally, the dual form computing device is equipped to share input and output devices independent of the operation mode it functions in.

Abstract: Power is controlled by increasing the power level of a wireless transmission if a number of packet errors in a short observation window exceeds a first threshold. Power is controlled by decreasing the power level of the wireless transmission if a number of packet errors in a long observation window falls below a second threshold. In various embodiments, power is controlled based on packet error rate using both open and closed loop feedback to manage power at an increased level of granularity.

Abstract: A tunable dielectric chip, and method of manufacture therefore, that comprises a dielectric substrate, the dielectric substrate patterned to a critical dimension, a metallized portion integral to the dielectric substrate, and an encapsulant covering an any portion of the dielectric substrate not covered by the metallized portion. A thin titanium layer can be deposited in between the metallized portion and the dielectric substrate to promote adhesion. The dielectric substrate can be a dielectric thick film. The thickness of the titanium can vary from 200A to 500A and the metallized portion integral to the dielectric substrate in a preferred embodiment is gold and varies in thickness from 3 um to several microns depending on the application. Further, in the present preferred embodiment, the encapsulant is a photo-definable encapsulant. The present invention also provides solder pads integral to the metallized portion enabling maximan protection from moisture and other contaminants.

Abstract: A tunable filter which may include at least one resonator. The at least one resonator may comprise a ring resonator made on a dielectric substrate placed in a waveguide, wherein the waveguide may contain a cut-off portion which houses and shields at least one resonator containing at least one tunable capacitor therein. A DC Bias circuit may be connected to the at least one resonator and may be capable of providing DC bias to the at least one tunable capacitor.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a method and apparatus to transfer information is provided, wherein the method includes transferring information between at least two wireless devices using a waveform that includes a first sinusoidal signal and a second sinusoidal signal, wherein the second sinusoidal signal has more zero-crossings than the first signal and wherein a duration of the first sinusoidal signal is less than a duration of the second sinusoidal signal.

Abstract: A stacked antenna, comprising an upper patch including at least one strip-like part formed from a hole in the upper patch and at least one slot-like part formed from at least one notch in the upper patch; a lower patch including at least one strip-like part formed from a hole in the lower patch and at least one slot-like part formed from at least one notch in the lower patch; and wherein the at least one strip-like part of the upper patch is at least partially crossing over the at least one notch in the lower patch. In and embodiment of the present invention, the a portion of the at least one strip-like part of the lower patch is at least partially crossing under a hole in the upper patch and may further comprise at least one microstrip feed capable of connecting a ground plane with the lower patch.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementing image rejection in radio receivers or transmitters includes a Weaver image reject mixer modified so that only one local oscillator is used for the highest mixing frequency, and subsequent lower frequency mixing signals fed to the mixers are derived from digital frequency divider networks which produce both in-phase and quadrature versions of their pre-determined output frequencies. By using frequency dividers to generate these subsequent lower frequency signals, the intermediate frequencies walk; and when these frequency dividers are set to divide by multiples of two, generating quadrature signals becomes straightforward.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, in accordance with the present invention, use at least two phase-locked loop based frequency synthesizers to provide a synthesized frequency output having a step size of X, where X is less than the step size of any of the at least two phase-locked loop based oscillators. By combining a first signal having a first frequency, with the output of a first frequency synthesizer having a first frequency step size, NX, to produce an intermediate signal which is in turn combined with the output a second frequency synthesizer having a second frequency step size, MX, an output signal is produced. M and N are related such that i times M=N±1, and i, M and N are integers. By varying the output frequency of the first and second frequency synthesizers, the frequency of the output signal is changed by steps of X, where X is less than the step size of either the first or second frequency synthesizers.

Abstract: An asset, object, person or animal monitoring system and associated method for monitoring assets, objects, people or animals utilizing impulse radio techniques. The asset, object, person or animal monitoring system of the present invention can vary the duty cycles of the impulse radio transmitters, by both manual and automatic means, to adapt to varied requirements.

Abstract: A first antenna component has a first polarization. A second antenna component has a second polarization. The second polarization is distinct from the first polarization to provide signal isolation between the first antenna component and the second antenna component. The first antenna component and the second antenna component are coupled in close proximity in a single form factor.

Abstract: A synthesizer incorporating voltage tunable capacitors, comprising at least one resonator coupled into a base circuit of a bipolar transistor, the at least one resonator including at least one voltage tunable capacitor; the bipolar transistor including a collector which terminates in a radial micro strip stub and an emitter which produces an output via an impedance matching circuit, a buffer amplifier and an RF filter; a frequency divider, programmable phase locked loop and loop filter receiving the output of the RF filter and providing the input to a controller; an integral switch mode power supply providing power to the base circuit via a first power supply filter, and the controller via a second power supply filter. The controller scales the user-selected control voltage range to the levels required by the voltage tunable capacitors associated with the at least one resonator.

Abstract: A voltage controlled oscillator incorporating voltage tunable capactiors, comprising at least one resonator coupled into a base circuit of a bipolar transistor, said at least one resonator including at least one voltage tunable capacitor. The bipolar transistor includes a collector which terminates in a radial micro strip stub and an emitter which produces an output via an impedance matching circuit. Also, included is an integral switch mode power supply providing power to said base circuit via a first power supply filter, and to a controller via a second power supply filter. The controller scales the user-selected control voltage range to the levels required by said voltage tunable capacitors associated with said at leat one resonator.

Abstract: A single, dual form computing device is provided that incorporates the functionality of a laptop computer with that of a handheld or palm-size computing device, and allows each functionality to be selectively employed. The dual form computing device operates in one of two modes. While operating in a first “instant on” mode, the dual form computing device provides functionality similar to that of a handheld device, whereby a lengthy bootstrap process and operating system load is not required. While operating in a second “non-instant on” mode, the dual form computing device operates substantially like a laptop computer. Additionally, the dual form computing device is equipped to share input and output devices independent of the operation mode it functions in.

Abstract: A high-speed transmitter for digital data having a variable data rare, the transmitter comprising a convolutional encoder, adapted to generate, for each group of k input bits in a bitstream, n coded output bits, such that k and n are integers, n equal to or greater than k, and at least one of k and n is variable responsive to the variable data rate of the transmitter; and a modulator, coupled to map the output bits generated by the encoder to a constellation of M symbols for transmission by the transmitter, M an integer, which is variable responsive to the variable data rate of the transmitter; and wherein for a given rate Rs of transmission of the symbols by the transmitter, the variable data rate Rb is given by Rb=Rs*log 2(M)*Rc, wherein Rc is a code rate equal to k/n.

Abstract: A wireless device is provided with a wireless transceiver to transmit and receive signals in accordance with a first protocol to and from network devices of a first wireless network, and a controller manager to control operation of the wireless transceiver. The wireless device is further provided with a wireless receiver to receive signals transmitted in accordance with a second protocol by network devices of a second wireless network, and the controller manager is equipped to control operation of the wireless transceiver based at least in part on at least one signaling characteristic of the received signals from network devices of the second wireless network, to reduce interference with proximately located ones of the network devices of the second wireless network. In various embodiments, the controller manager suspends operation of the wireless transceiver whenever interference is predicted.