Patents Represented by Attorney Randall S. Vaas
  • Patent number: 5572223
    Abstract: A multi-position antenna apparatus is provided for a device including a first housing portion and a second housing portion which are interconnected such that they move relative to one another between a collapsed position and an extended position. The device includes radio circuitry positioned in the first housing portion. The antenna apparatus includes a first antenna supported in the second housing portion. The first antenna is coupled to the radio circuitry in the extended position and in the collapsed position. A parasitic radiator is supported in the first housing portion and is only coupled to the first antenna when the housing is in the collapsed position. The parasitic radiator is a quarter wavelength of the signaling frequency or an integer multiple thereof. The parasitic radiator may include a member inductively or capacitively coupled to the first antenna when the flap is closed. Alternatively, the parasitic radiator may be a patch radiator or a loop conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Phillips, Louis J. Vannatta, Eric L. R. Krenz
  • Patent number: 5572224
    Abstract: A nondirectional antenna assembly, and associated method, for a radio operative at high frequencies, such as at frequencies of approximately 1.8 Gigahertz. A first antenna portion, formed of a one-half wavelength, helical winding is supported at a distal side of a nonconductive whip. A second antenna portion, comprised of a helical winding supported at a proximal side of the nonconductive whip, and a one-quarter wave helical winding, connected to radio circuitry of the radio transceiver, couples the first antenna portion to the radio circuitry. Because the first antenna portion is positioned at a distal side of the nonconductive whip, shadowing occurring as a result of positioning the radio transceiver proximate to a user during operation thereof is less likely to interfere with operation of the radio transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Moller, Patrick A. Schwinghammer
  • Patent number: 5568548
    Abstract: A handset (100) is supported on mounting surface (104) by hang-up cup assembly (102). The hang-up cup assembly (102) includes a hang-up cup (106) and a pedestal (108). The hang-up cup is secured to pedestal by threaded fastener (210) and nut (212).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Repplinger, Jennifer M. Hislop
  • Patent number: 5565881
    Abstract: An electrical connection between a balanced circuit, such as a radio receiver and an unbalanced circuit, such as an antenna requires a balun. In a small electronic device such as a radiotelephone, a traditional balun is impractical because of the physical constraints. The balun function is performed by using a transmission line of minimum transverse dimensions and a predetermined length between the receiver and the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Phillips, Louis J. Vannatta
  • Patent number: 5561436
    Abstract: An antenna system includes a first antenna positioned on a first device housing and a parasitic radiator positioned on a second device housing. The housings move relative to one another to collapse the device during a standby mode and extend the device during an active communication mode. The first antenna and the parasitic radiator are positioned on their respective housings such that they are parasitically coupled when the housings are collapsed and are not coupled when the housings are extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: James P. Phillips
  • Patent number: 5561437
    Abstract: A radio communication device includes a radio signal source (415) positioned in the first housing portion (101). A second housing portion (103) has a first end movably supported on the first housing portion such that the housing portions are reconfigurable between an extended position and a collapsed position. A dipole antenna (107) has a first arm (440) positioned in the first housing portion and a second arm (441) positioned in the second housing portion. A respective end of each of the arms is connected to the signal source. Plates (450, 451) are positioned on the first and second housing portions and connected to the antenna arms such that they are capacitively coupled when the housing portions are collapsed and are not coupled when the housing portions are extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Phillips, Eric L. Krenz
  • Patent number: 5559471
    Abstract: An amplifier contains an RF generated negative supply wherein the RF input of the negative generator is connected to the RF input of a first power amplifier stage. This arrangement allows the power supplies to be turned-on in the correct order, thus, avoiding any damage to the transistors or power supply. After the RF input turns on and the RF generated negative supply turns on, the power amplifier transistors are biased such that no current will flow from the drain to the grounded source. The power amplifier also features the ability to adjust the biasing voltage by increasing Vcontrol so that the bias current from the main supply can be controlled. Since the output power of the amplifier is monotonic with biasing current over the useful range of gate voltages, the output power can thereby be controlled by adjusting the control voltage. Additionally, the negative biasing voltage can be increased to the point where bias current from the main supply is at the correct level to achieve the desired output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory R. Black
  • Patent number: 5546275
    Abstract: An electrical module (125) is for mounting upon a circuit board (104). During circuit assembly, the electrical module (125) is placed upon a breakaway portion (117) of the circuit board (104) and a bracket assembly (103) is mounted to the circuit board (104) so as to position the electrical module (125). At the conclusion of circuit assembly, final assembly is initiated and the breakaway portion (117) is removed and the circuit board (104) is mounted into a housing (105). Preferably, the electrical module (125) is in direct contact with the housing (105) so as to maximize heat transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael F. Moutrie, Andrew Whitmore, III, David M. Hess, John C. Laugal, Steven M. Mina, Matthew J. Boler
  • Patent number: 5542106
    Abstract: When a radio frequency (RF) circuit is integrated into a movable housing element of an electronic device one must consider the affects of the surrounding area when the RF circuit is in a functioning position. A preferred embodiment is a radiotelephone (100) having an antenna (105) integrated into a movable housing element (101). The antenna (105) has two functioning positions, an opened and a closed position. The antenna (105) is tuned for efficiency when the movable housing element (101) is in the opened position. When the movable housing element (101) is in the closed position, a first pair of conductive plates (107, 109) located in the movable housing element (101) and a second conductive plate (113) located in the second housing element (103) are positioned to retune the antenna (105) due to the detuning affects caused by the close proximity of other electronic components located in the second housing element (103).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric L. Krenz, James P. Phillips
  • Patent number: 5539360
    Abstract: A transmission line has a limited cross-section, a transmission line geometry and an improved characteristic impedance tolerance. The transmission line geometry utilizes a unique combination of broadside coupling and coplanar coupling with a reflector plate in order to improve the tolerance of the characteristic impedance. First, a larger coplanar gap is used to reduce the etching error. Second, the inner dielectric thickness sensitivities were also reduced by relying on broadside coupling and coplanar coupling to determine the characteristic impedance of the transmission line. Third, the effect of registration error in the broadside coupling is eliminated by rendering the two signal bearing conductors on the same layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis J. Vannatta, James P. Phillips, Eric L. R. Krenz
  • Patent number: 5513996
    Abstract: An electrically conductive clip (100) includes a first contact surface (116) facing a first direction, a second contact surface (118) facing a second direction different from the first direction, and a third contact surface (122) facing a third direction different from the first and second directions. The clip is biased to exert a force in the first, second, and third directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Annerino, Scott Semenik, John B. Freese
  • Patent number: 5511235
    Abstract: A receiver has a channel scan mode of operation and a communication mode of operation. In the channel mode of operation, the passband of a filter is narrowed relative to the passband of the filter in the communication mode. According to another aspect of the circuit, a local oscillator is selectively phase locked to an internal clock during channel scanning and locked to the incoming signal during a communication mode operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Minh H. Duong, Donald A. Dorsey, Robert M. Johnson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5508709
    Abstract: An antenna for an electronic apparatus is located in a flip element of the apparatus housing. A transformer, having a winding in the flip element and a winding in the housing couples electromagnetic energy across the hinge while impedance matching and performing a balun function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric L. Krenz, James P. Phillips
  • Patent number: 5499394
    Abstract: A filter switching circuit for switching between two or more filters. The filter switching circuit may be integrally formed upon an integrated circuit chip and may be advantageously utilized as a portion of a dual bandwidth receiver, such as employed in a radiotelephone, operable to receive both narrowband and wideband signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary F. Kaatz, John E. Becker
  • Patent number: 5497383
    Abstract: An error detector circuit, and an associated method, for a discrete receiver. The error detector circuit indicates bad frames of binary information signals which contain distorted bits of data in numbers so great as to prevent a convolutional decoder from generating, accurately, a decoded signal. When bit errors are detected in numbers beyond a first preselected value of the signal quality of a received signal combined with the detected number of bit errors forms a signal beyond a second preselected value, a bad frame is indicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph F. Thome, Arvind S. Arora, Niels Vinggaard
  • Patent number: D368696
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert L. Nagele, Brian E. Dawson
  • Patent number: D370463
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert L. Nagele, Mike M. Albert, Brian E. Dawson
  • Patent number: D370672
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven W. Hughes
  • Patent number: D374013
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer M. Hislop, Daniel J. Repplinger
  • Patent number: D374014
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert L. Nagele, Jennifer M. Hislop, Daniel J. Repplinger