Abstract: A multi-mode RFID reader operates in both far field mode and near field mode. The multi-mode RFID reader includes a transmitter section, a receiver section, a transmit multiplexer and a receive multiplexer. Both the transmit multiplexer and the receive multiplexer are configurably coupled to a far field antenna structure and a near field coil structure. For far field operation, the transmit multiplexer provides an up-converted outbound signal to a far field antenna structure and the receive multiplexer provides an inbound signal to a receiver section. For near field operation, the transmit multiplexer provides an up-converted outbound signal to the near field coil structure and the receive multiplexer provides an inbound signal to the receiver section.

Abstract: A transceiver front-end comprises a transmitter section a receiver section, and an isolation circuit. The transmitter section includes an oscillation module that generates a radio frequency (RF) oscillation and a power amplifier module that amplifies and modulates the RF oscillation in accordance with outbound modulation information to produce an outbound RF signal. The receiver section includes a low noise amplifier that amplifies an inbound RF signal to produce an amplified inbound RF signal and a down conversion module that converts the amplified inbound RF signal into an encoded inbound signal. The isolation circuit reduces a blocking effect of the outbound RF signal on the receiver section.

Abstract: A game device such as a sporting good or video game device uses an integrated circuit (IC) that includes a gyrating circuit to measure at least one motion parameter of the device. An RF transmitter wirelessly transmits the at least one motion parameter to a remote device.

Abstract: An integrated circuit, for use in a GPS device, includes an on-chip gyrating circuit that generates a motion parameter based on motion of the IC. A global positioning system (GPS) receiver receives a GPS signal and generates GPS position data based on the GPS signal. A processing module processes the motion parameter to produce motion data and that generates position information based on the GPS position data and the motion data.

Abstract: A dynamic radio frequency (RF) front end includes an antenna array, a power amplifier structure, and a low noise amplifier structure. The power amplifier structure generates a plurality of outbound RF signals from an outbound RF signal and provides the plurality of outbound RF signals to the antenna array. Each of the plurality of outbound RF signals has a different transmit phase rotation. The low noise amplifier structure receives a plurality of inbound RF signals from the antenna array and outputs one of the plurality of inbound RF signals based on a favorable phase relationship with respect to the outbound RF signal. Each of the plurality of inbound RF signals has a different receive phase rotation.

Abstract: A system and method for continual cable thermal monitoring using cable characteristic considerations in Power over Ethernet (PoE) applications. Cable heating in PoE applications is detected through changes in electrical characteristics of the cable itself. By periodically monitoring the electrical characteristics such as insertion loss or cross talk of the cable, it can be determined whether the cable has exceeded certain thermal operating thresholds.

Abstract: A radio transceiver device includes circuitry for radiating electromagnetic signals at a very high radio frequency both through space, as well as through wave guides that are formed within a substrate material. In one embodiment, the substrate comprises a dielectric substrate formed within a board, for example, a printed circuit board. In another embodiment of the invention, the wave guide is formed within a die of an integrated circuit radio transceiver. A plurality of transceivers with different functionality is defined. Substrate transceivers are operable to transmit through the wave guides, while local transceivers are operable to produce very short range wireless transmissions through space. A third and final transceiver is a typical wireless transceiver for communication with remote (non-local to the device) transceivers.

Abstract: An antenna system includes an antenna, a transmission line, an inductor module, a tunable capacitor module, and control logic. The transmission line is coupled to the antenna and to the inductor module. The tunable capacitor module is coupled to the transmission line in accordance with a capacitance control signal to provide a desired capacitance such that inductance of the inductor module and the desired capacitance tunes the antenna system. The control logic is coupled to generate the capacitance control signal based on the operational parameters.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a receiver for processing a RF input signal having a variable signal strength includes an RF amplifier, an IF amplifier, and a controller. The RF amplifier is configured to receive and amplify the RF input signal. The IF amplifier is coupled to an output of the RF amplifier. The controller controls gains of the RF amplifier and the IF amplifier during times of falling signal strength. A gain of the IF amplifier is increased as the signal strength falls until a first amplitude threshold is reached for the falling signal strength. If the signal strength falls beyond the first threshold, a gain of the RF amplifier is increased until a second amplitude threshold is reached. The second amplitude threshold is lower than the first amplitude threshold. If the signal strength falls below the second amplitude threshold, the gain of the IF amplifier is further increased.

Abstract: Joint decoding of ISI (Inter-Symbol Interference) channel and modulation codes. A means is presented by which a single, combined ISI and modulation decoding module is operable to process a signal received from an ISI communication channel and directly to generate a soft estimate of information encoded therein. A single module, that employs a decoding transfer function that is substantially matched to the communication channel that introduces the ISI and the modulation encoding performed on the information before being launched into the ISI communication channel. This means is adaptable to a variety of modulation coding systems that are tailored to deal with communication systems that introduce ISI. Moreover, this means is extendable to communication systems employing an error correction code (ECC) such as Reed-Solomon (RS) coding as well as ECCs of an iterative nature such as LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) coding, turbo coding, and/or turbo trellis code modulation (TTCM) coding.

Abstract: A circuit for use in a wireless communication device includes a on-chip gyrating circuit that generates a motion parameter based on motion of the circuit. A GPS receiver receives a GPS signal and that generates GPS position data based on the GPS signal. A processing module processes the motion parameter to produce motion data and generates position information based on the GPS position data and the motion data. A wireless telephone transceiver generates an outbound RF signal that includes outbound voice data and position information and that generates voice inbound data from an inbound RF signal.

Abstract: A far field radio frequency identification (RFID) reader includes a baseband processing module, a transmitter section, and a receiver section. The receiver section includes a low noise amplifier module, a down conversion module, and a current mode blocking circuit. The low noise amplifier module amplifies an inbound RF signal to produce an amplified inbound RF signal. The down conversion module converts the amplified inbound RF signal into the inbound baseband signal. The current mode blocking circuit substantial compensates for a blocking current component of the baseband inbound signal and passes, substantially unattenuated, a signal current component of the baseband inbound signal.

Abstract: A circuit includes a transceiver coupled to transmit an outbound signal in accordance with a plurality of transmit parameters to at least one remote station and receive a inbound signal from the at least one remote station. The transceiver detects a packet transmission failure, selects one of a plurality of transmission failure causes, and adjusts at least one of a plurality of transmit parameters, based on the selected one of the plurality of transmission failure causes.

Abstract: An integrated circuit radio transceiver and associated method comprises a multi-mode device operable to support personal area network communications as well as traditional wireless local area network communications. In one embodiment, IEEE 802.11 protocol IBSS communications are used to transport Bluetooth communication data packets. In another embodiment, a direct link comprising direct packet transfers without beaconing is performed between the multi-mode device and another multi-mode device. Thus, the multi-mode device is operable to establish traditional BSS communications with an Access Point in addition to establishing peer-to-peer communications with another multi-mode device to transport the Bluetooth communications over the 802.11 IBSS communication link or over an IEEE 802.11 direct communication link.

Abstract: A device includes an on-chip gyrating circuit that generates a motion parameter based on motion of the device. An RF transceiver generates an outbound RF signal from an outbound symbol stream, transmits the outbound RF signal to a remote station of a wireless network, and generates an inbound symbol stream from an inbound RF signal received from the at least one remote station. A processing module is coupled to process the motion parameter to produce motion data, to convert outbound data into the outbound symbol stream, and to convert the inbound symbol stream into inbound data, wherein the outbound data includes the motion data.

Abstract: A multi-mode RFID tag includes a power generating and signal detection module, a baseband processing module, a transmit section, a configurable coupling circuit, and an antenna section. In near field mode, the configurable coupling circuit is operable to couple the transmit section to a coil or inductor in the configurable coupling circuit to transmit an outbound transmit signal using electromagnetic or inductive coupling to an RFID reader. In far field mode, the configurable coupling circuit is operable to couple the transmit section to the antenna section, and the multi-mode RFID tag then utilizes a back-scattering RF technology to transmit the outbound transmit signal to RFID readers.

Abstract: A wireless communication device includes an integrated circuit (IC) and an antenna system. The IC includes a baseband processing module, a network processing module, a calibration processing module, a receiver section and a transmitter section. The network processing module establishes a wireless communication protocol and operational parameters based on the wireless communication protocol. The calibration processing module generates RF receiver calibration information based on the operational parameters and RF receive feedback and generates RF transmitter calibration information based on the operational parameters and RF transmit feedback. The receiver section provides the RF receive feedback and converts an inbound RF signal into an inbound symbol stream. The transmitter section provides the RF transmit feedback and converts an outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF signal.

Abstract: A method for regulating a voltage in an integrated circuit device includes providing a first regulated output based upon a first voltage input range and subsequently receiving the first regulated output and providing a second regulated output based upon a second voltage input range of the first regulated output. A circuit is further provided that operates accordingly. Additionally, a clipper circuit is provided at the input to protect for over voltage conditions that may results, for example, from a charging battery to cause an output voltage of the battery to substantially exceed ordinary output voltage levels.

Abstract: An integrated circuit radio transceiver and method therefor includes a high-pass variable gain amplifier (HPVGA) operably disposed within one of the transmitter and the receiver front ends operable to provide a linear variable gain and a substantially constant high-pass frequency corner that does not vary with changes in gain level settings. The HPVGA includes an amplifier operably disposed to receive an input signal and to produce an amplified output based upon the input signal, an adjustable resistance block operable to adjust resistance based upon a gain control input and corner drift compensation block operably disposed to provide corner frequency compensation at the input terminal of the amplifier that is further coupled to receive the input signal from the adjustable resistance block.

Abstract: Traditionally, system loads are placed in parallel with the battery. This simple topology wastes the available power if the USB power and/or wall adapter is present. Recent topologies have made some improvements by powering the load by the maximum available voltage. Thus, if a USB power source or wall adapter is present, the load is powered by them rather than the battery, thus improving the system efficiency. However, since the USB power and wall adapter power are current limited, if the load requires higher current than the current limited USB or adapter, then the entire system is powered at voltage of the battery. The present invention further improves the system efficiency by distinguishing the load and powering the constant power loads by the maximum voltage and placing the constant current loads in parallel with the battery.