Patents Represented by Attorney Katherine W. White
  • Patent number: 5475870
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for adding and removing a target base station from a network of base stations, which includes base stations adjacent the target base station. The apparatus is comprised of two attenuators: a first for setting an artificial receive noise power level and a second for setting a transmit level. The transmit level determines the forward link coverage area of the base station. The artificial noise level sets the reverse link coverage area of the base station. When a base station is added, initially the transmit power is low and the artificial receive noise power is high such that the forward and reverse link coverage areas are collocated in close proximity to the base station. As the base station blossoms into full operation, the artificial receive noise power is decreased and the transmit level is increased such that the two coverage areas of the base station remain balanced as the coverage areas expand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Lindsay A. Weaver, Jr., Paul E. Bender
  • Patent number: 5442627
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding an orthogonally encoded data signal in a noncoherent receiver system. The method is referred to as dual-maxima metric generation. It comprises the steps of sequentially searching for a maximum energy level in each of two subsets of a given set of symbol indexes and associated energy levels and calculating a difference of the two values to form a soft decision output value. The two subsets are identified by the binary value (either "0" or "1") of a given digit of the binary equivalent of the symbol index. The soft decision output value reflects a measure of confidence of the value of the corresponding digit of the original signal. The dual-maxima generator sequences through the steps one time for each binary digit of the original signal. The method allows the correlated energy from multiple receivers to be combined before the decoding of the signals, thus further reducing the complexity of the circuitry and improving the performance of the decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Audrey Viterbi, Andrew J. Viterbi
  • Patent number: 5437055
    Abstract: A system for mitigating the effect of fading in a digital communication system. Deep signal nulls occur when signals from multiple paths are precisely aligned in amplitude and phase canceling the signal at the receiving antenna and creating a fade. In an indoor system, moving either transmitter or receiver a short distance can shift a fade away from the frequency of interest. This invention provides an actual or perceived movement of an antenna such that the effects of fading can be averaged over a time interval. The signal processing capability of modern digital transceivers can correct errors due to the time varying fades using the present invention. Thus, a dual-antenna element using the system of this invention can provide diversity receive and transmit paths to maintain capacity. The present invention may also provide improved capacity to due enhanced stability in power control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Charles E. Wheatley, III
  • Patent number: 5434548
    Abstract: A coaxial-waveguide assemblage is disclosed herein of the invention includes a first coaxial transmission line having a first inner and a first outer conductor. The inventive assemblage further includes a waveguide electromagnetically coupled to the first coaxial transmission line, where an inner surface of the waveguide bounds a signal propagation space. The waveguide is also electromagnetically coupled to a second coaxial transmission having a second inner and a second outer conductor. The inner conductor of the second coaxial transmission line is disposed to rotate about a first vertical axis, thereby enabling the second coaxial transmission line to be connected to a rotating antenna. In a particular implementation the coaxial-waveguide assemblage is disposed within a rotary joint operative to couple electromagnetic energy between first and second signal ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: James H. Thompson, Randolph E. Standke, Thomas R. Pierce
  • Patent number: 5408697
    Abstract: A high dynamic range linear automatic gain control (AGC) circuit that has independent means for temperature compensation. The temperature compensation circuit of this invention can be used in a closed-loop AGC circuit such as is required in a transceiver for compensating the gains of receiver and transmitter amplifiers to ensure that both track closely over ranges of temperature, frequency and load impedance. The temperature compensation signal is coupled to one of the two gates in a field effect transistor (FET) amplifier to maintain a constant gain function over ranges of temperature, frequency and load impedance. Thermal compensation for the transmitter amplifier is derived from the thermal compensation signal for the receiver amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: J. Michael Price, Charles E. Wheatley, III, Katherine W. White
  • Patent number: 5392287
    Abstract: A system for reducing receiver power consumption in communication system having a transmitter and one or more receivers schedules periodic messages in "slots." Each receiver is assigned a slot during which it monitors the transmissions. The transmitter transmits messages to the receiver only during the assigned slots. The receiver is in an "active state" during its assigned slot. It may remain in the active state after its assigned slot if the message requires the receiver to perform additional actions. During the "inactive state," which is the time period between successive occurrences of its assigned slot, the receiver may perform any action not requiring coordination with the transmitter. It may conserve power during this time by removing power from one or more components such as those used for monitoring the transmissions. At a time during the inactive state shortly before the assigned slot, the receiver applies power to these components and performs initializations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Edward G. Tiedemann, Jr., Lindsay A. Weaver, Jr., Richard J. Kerr, Kenneth M. Geib
  • Patent number: 5373259
    Abstract: A voltage controlled oscillator comprises more than one dissimilar diode. The dissimilar diodes have different capacitance versus voltage characteristic shapes. The dissimilarity causes the tuning gain factor of the resulting oscillator to be an increasing function of increasing frequency. Such an oscillator when properly incorporated into a phase lock loop can yield loop parameters which are a constant function of increasing frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott Hackman, Anthony J. Estrada
  • Patent number: 5337338
    Abstract: A pulse density modulation circuit has a counter which produces a most significant bit through a least significant bit output based on a clock input. The circuit also has a comparator with two sets of most significant bit through least significant bit inputs that produces an output based on a comparison of the two sets of inputs. The first set of comparator most significant bit through least significant bit inputs receives respectively a most significant bit through a least significant bit of an input reference signal. The second set of comparator most significant bit through least significant bit inputs receives the counter most significant bit through least significant bit output in a non-sequential bit order. The non-sequential bit order can be a bit reversed order wherein the counter most significant bit through least significant bit output are respectively connected to the comparator least significant bit through most significant bit input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Todd Sutton, Sherman Gregory, Joan T. Waltman, Katherine W. White
  • Patent number: 5289527
    Abstract: A distance based method for mobile station registration in a cellular communication system. The mobile station registers whenever it moves into a new cell that is greater than some predefined distance from the previous cell where it registered. Cell base stations transmit corresponding base station location information and a distance value. The mobile station receives the base station location information and computes the distance from a cell in which the mobile station last registered to the current cell in which the mobile station is present. When the computed distance is greater than the distance value associated with the registration cell the mobile station registers. Pages for the mobile station are transmitted within a group of cells within a distance of the registration cell corresponding to the registration cell transmitted distance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Edward G. Tiedemann, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5283536
    Abstract: A closed loop automatic gain control (AGC) circuit with high dynamic range capabilities having an amplifier circuit for receiving an input signal, which is susceptible to variations in signal power, and a control signal. The amplifier circuit is responsive to the control signal for amplifying the input signal at a gain level corresponding to the control signal so as to provide a corresponding output signal. A measurement circuit is coupled to the amplifier means for measuring logarithmic signal power of the amplified input signal and providing a corresponding linear measurement signal. An integration circuit is included for receiving the measurement signal, and a reference signal which corresponds to a desired signal power of the output signal. The integration circuit integrates with respect to time the difference between the measurement signal and the reference signal, and generates the control signal which corresponds to the result of the integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Charles E. Wheatley, III, Derek N. Punch