Abstract: A battery powered device (100) utilizing a rechargeable battery (135) comprises a ball bearing (300) having a first diameter for receiving a current and a housing (200) having an opening (405) formed therethrough in which the ball bearing (300) is situated, wherein the opening (405) has a second diameter of less than the first diameter. The battery powered device (100) further comprises a spring (305) situated in the opening (405) in contact with the ball bearing (300) and a spring cap (310) fastened to the housing (200) for forcibly holding the spring (305) in contact with the ball bearing (300). A conductive element is coupled between the spring and the rechargeable battery such that the current received by the ball bearing (300) is supplied to the rechargeable battery (135) via the spring (310).

Abstract: A paging receiver device and method are disclosed in which analog information transmitted from an external source such as a paging transmitter are received and decoded. The analog information includes at least one voice message. The voice message is recovered, digitized, and stored in one of a plurality of message slots in a memory of the paging receiver. In response to a paging user's request, the digitized stored message is recalled from memory, reconverted from digital information to analog information, and used to produce audible voice information being a replica of the original analog voice message.

Abstract: A holster (10) for a selective call receiver having a liquid crystal display comprises a plastic housing (12) for removably retaining the selective call receiver and a substantially clear lens (14) integrally formed in the plastic housing providing protection to the display and allowing a user of the portable communication product to view the liquid crystal display while the selective call receiver is retained within the holster.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a screen printer (200) selectively applies solder paste to multiple types of printed circuit boards. The screen printer (200) includes mobile placement equipment (210), which receives and transports the boards, and application equipment, which includes first and second stencils (225), frames for holding the stencils (225) in fixed positions, and an applicator (415) for applying solder paste to a board through either the first or second stencil (225). A controller (215) determines the type of a board received by the mobile placement equipment (210), then, when the board is of a first type, directs the mobile placement equipment (210) to a location aligned with the first stencil. When the board is of a second type, the mobile placement equipment (210) is directed to a location aligned with the second stencil.

Abstract: An electronic device having electronic circuitry powered by a battery and having an interface for interactively coupling the electronic device to a host device, for switching the power source by which power is supplied to the electronic circuitry, and by determining (410) an interface status as being coupled to or detached from the host device. In response to determining (410) that the interface is coupled to the host device, the electronic circuit is coupled (415) to the interface such that power is supplied to the electronic circuitry from the host device. In response to determining (410) that the interface is detached from the host device, the electronic circuit is coupled (420) to the battery.

Abstract: An antenna (105) for receiving radio frequency (RF) signals includes a conductive element (300) having a first electrical length and a first operating impedance and a transmission line (315) having a second electrical length and a second operating impedance for resonating the conductive element (300) at a predetermined operating frequency. A coaxial element (305) having a third electrical length is coupled to the conductive element (300) and the transmission line element (315) for converting the first operating impedance to the second operating impedance. When the conductive element (300) is resonated, the first, second, and third electrical lengths are substantially equal to a quarter wavelength or an odd multiple thereof at the predetermined operating frequency.

Abstract: A radio communication system (100) includes a terminal/controller (110, 112) for transmitting an enable signal, data associated with the enable signal, and a disable signal following the data. A normally operating transmitter (105, 107) coupled to the terminal/controller (110, 112) receives, when operating normally, the enable signal and transmits the data associated therewith as a radio frequency (RF) signal. The normally operating transmitter (105, 107) further generates status information for indicating that the normally operating transmitter (105, 107) is functioning, wherein the status information includes at least the enable signal and the disable signal. The radio communication system (100) further includes a redundant transmitter (115) coupled to the normally operating transmitter (105, 107) and the terminal/controller (110, 112) for receiving the status information and determining therefrom whether the normally operating transmitter (105, 107) is functioning.

Abstract: A radio communication device (100) having a receiver (110) for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal includes first and second batteries (140, 175) for generating first and second voltages, respectively, wherein the second voltage is greater than the first voltage. A voltage multiplier (150) coupled to the first battery (140) boosts the first voltage to a third voltage that is greater than the first voltage during a first time period when the receiver (110) is disabled from receiving the RF signal. Other processing circuitry (115, 120) within the radio communication device (100) receives the third voltage and is powered thereby during the first time period when the receiver (110) is disabled from receiving the RF signal. The other processing circuitry (115, 120) receives the second voltage and is powered thereby during a second time period when the receiver (110) is enabled for reception of the RF signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating output signals having predetermined frequency shifts relative to a frequency provided by a reference signal is included in a system (500) comprising a phase-locked loop (206) coupled to the reference signal for generating the first and second output signals. The apparatus comprises pulse addition circuitry (204) coupled to the reference signal and the phase-locked loop (206) for adding pulses to the reference signal at a first cyclical rate to generate the first output signal and for adding pulses to the reference signal at a second cyclical rate to generate the second output signal.

Abstract: A method, in a repeater (155) having receiving circuitry (310, 315) for selectively receiving and decoding a selective call message transmitted by a first selective call service (105) and further coupled to a telephone network (135), for forwarding received information to a second selective call service (110) comprises the step of transferring, over the telephone network (135), message information selectively received from the first selective call service (105) to the second selective call service (110).

Abstract: A user of a selective call receiver (100) is capable of inputting and storing user defined search key information and user defined corresponding information into non-volatile memory (107), via user input control (109). Subsequent to receiving and decoding a message having message information and storing the message information into memory (106), the selective call receiver (100) is capable of searching the message information for an occurrence of the user defined search key information, and presenting the message information and at least a portion of corresponding information for an occurrence of corresponding user defined search key information in the message information.

Abstract: A radio communication device (100) receives a radio frequency (RF) signal comprising at least first, second, and third words which include message information and error correction information, wherein the second and third words are redundant words associated with the first word. A processing unit (120) included in the radio communication device (100) compares each corresponding bit of the first, second, and third words to determine, for each corresponding bit, which of first and second bit values is a majority bit value and generates a fourth word which includes a bit for each corresponding bit, wherein each bit of the fourth word has a value equivalent to the majority bit value corresponding thereto.

Abstract: A selective call receiver (30) receives personal messages and information services provided database messages. A memory (44) stores the personal messages in a first portion (46) and the database messages as a plurality of screens in a second portion (48). A display (42) displays the plurality of screens for the user's perusal. The user can display the screens manually through activation of user input controls (40) when operating in a database mode under the control of a controller (52). Alternatively, the user can display selected screens in a quick access or quick view mode by placing operation of the receiver (30) under the control of a quick view controller (60) coupled to the database portion of memory (48) and the display (42). The user can selectively flag a screen (FIG. 9) or trigger a numeric field of a screen (FIG. 16) via activation of user input controls (40) when operating in a database mode under the control of a controller (52).

Abstract: A symbol detector (110) for generating data symbols from a received signal having multiple signal voltages comprises an analog-to-digital converter (115) for converting the multiple signal voltages to digital values and peak and valley counters (310, 315) coupled to the analog-to-digital converter (115) for tracking the digital values to determine peak and valley values associated with high and low voltages, respectively, of the received signal. The symbol detector (110) further comprises calculation circuitry (120) coupled to the peak and valley counters (310, 315) for calculating upper, lower, and center thresholds in accordance with the peak and valley values and a decoder (125) coupled to the analog-to-digital converter (115) and the calculation circuitry (120) for generating the data symbols in accordance with the digital values and the upper, lower, and center thresholds.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method therefor for automated and/or robotic assembly, the apparatus including a vacuum nozzle (201) capable of aspirating and securing a component (202, 204). A spring (312) mechanically coupled to the vacuum nozzle (201) provides a compression force thereto in a direction of a placing operation (214, 216). A controllable actuator (108, 314) is mechanically coupled to the spring (312) for adjusting the compression force that the spring (312) can apply to the vacuum nozzle (201) for adjusting a placing force that is applied to the component (202, 204) in the direction of the placing operation (214, 216).

Abstract: A radio frequency communication system is coupled to a telephone network (130) having automatic number identification (ANI) capabilities for communication thereover. The radio frequency communication system includes at least one relocateable base station (115) which shares a radio frequency channel with stationary communication devices (105) for communicating over predetermined geographic areas (110). The radio frequency communication system further includes a service center (125) which, in response to a call from a base station (115), receives from the telephone network (130) information indicative of at least a portion of a telephone number from which the base station (115) is calling. The service center (125) determines therefrom whether the base station (115) is located within any of the predetermined geographic areas (110).