Patents Assigned to Crestcom, Inc.
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Patent number: 7724840Abstract: An RF transmitter (10) includes a linear predistorter (22) and a nonlinear predistorter (24) which together drive analog transmitter components (14). The linear and nonlinear predistorters (22, 24) are implemented using a collection of adaptive equalizers (30). A feedback signal (20) is developed by downconverting an RF communication signal (16) obtained from the analog components (14). The feedback signal (20) are used in driving tap coefficients (34) for the adaptive equalizers (30?, 30?) in the nonlinear predistorter (24). An intermodulation-product canceller (94) uses signal cancellation to cancel intermodulation products from the feedback signal (20) and generate an intermodulation-neutralized feedback signal (96). The intermodulation-neutralized feedback signal (96) is used along with a modulated convergence factor (43) in driving tap coefficients (34) for the adaptive equalizer (30) in the linear predistorter (22).Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2006Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Crestcom, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Duane McCallister, Eric M. Brombaugh
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Publication number: 20100048146Abstract: A transceiver (10) includes an RF transmitter (12) and an RF receiver (14) coupled together through a duplexer (30) or non-filtering multiport device (30?). Either device may leak significant portions (56, 58) of the transmit signal (20) into the receive signal (44), and may significantly distort the transmit signal (20). Distortion is compensated in the transmitter (12) through the use of a linear predistorter (68) that is adjusted in response to an RF feedback signal obtained from the antenna-side of the device. Transmit signal leakage is compensated in the receiver (14) by producing an RF cancellation signal (106) that, when combined with the receive signal (44) at RF at least partially cancels the transmit signal portions (56, 58) leaked into the receive signal (44). Residual leakage signal and intermodulation products thereof may be cancelled digitally.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2007Publication date: February 25, 2010Applicant: CRESTCOM, INC.Inventor: Ronald Duane McCallister
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Publication number: 20090323856Abstract: A transmit-canceling transceiver (10) generates a heat signal (84) that estimates heating in analog components which process a transmit signal (22). An equalizer (74) having taps (77) provided by a tap update section (78) processes the transmit signal (22) for use in a cancellation operation. The tap update section (78) includes a coefficient update section (82) and a heat adjustment section (80). The coefficient update section (82) implements a feedback loop to generate coefficients (86) which are substantially unresponsive to the heat signal (84). The heat adjustment section (80) closes a feedback loop which is responsive to the heat signal (84) and generates offsets (142) that are used to adjust the coefficients (86) to compensate for heating. The loop bandwidth of the feedback loop of coefficient update section (82) is sufficiently narrow so as to be unable to track dynamic heat effects from the analog components.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2008Publication date: December 31, 2009Applicant: CrestCom, Inc.Inventor: Ronald Duane McCallister
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Publication number: 20090227215Abstract: An RF transmitter (60) generates non-DC bias signals (104, 106) configured to improved power-added efficiency (PAE) in the operation of an RF amplifier (94). The RF amplifier (94) generates an amplified RF signal (126) which, due to the addition of the bias signals (104, 106), includes bias-signal-induced RF distortion (48, 50). The bias signals (104, 106) drive a bias-induced distortion cancellation circuit (152) that adjusts the bias signals to compensate for the influence of impedances experienced by the bias signals (104, 106) before being applied to the RF amplifier (94). After mixing with a baseband communication signal (64), adjusted bias signals (186, 188) are combined into a composite baseband signal (76), upconverted to RF in an upconversion section 84, and applied to the RF amplifier (94) where they cancel at least a portion of the bias-signal-induced RF distortion (48, 50).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2008Publication date: September 10, 2009Applicant: CRESTCOM, INC.Inventor: Ronald Duane McCallister
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Patent number: 7570931Abstract: An RF transmitter (30) includes an RF power amplifier (32) for which the power input bias voltage (40) and signal input bias voltage (80) are controlled within feedback loops. A peak detector (44) generates a lowered-spectrum, peak-tracking signal (34) that follows the largest amplitude peaks of a wide bandwidth communication signal (16) but exhibits a lower bandwidth. This signal (34) is scaled in response to the operation of a drain bias tracking loop (146) then used to control a switching power supply (36) that generates the power input bias voltage. The tracking loop (146) is responsive to out-of-band power detected in a portion of the amplified RF communication signal (16?). A ratio of out-of-band power (128) to in-band power (126) is manipulated in the tracking loop (146) so that the power input bias voltage is modulated in a way that holds the out-of-band power at a desired predetermined level.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2006Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: Crestcom, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Duane McCallister, Eric M. Brombaugh
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Patent number: 7542519Abstract: An RF transmitter (10) is configured to transmit either wideband multichannel modulations or narrowband multichannel modulations in a variety of licensed frequency bands (70) using a single set of hardware. For narrowband modulations, a digital IF upconversion stage is performed so that, after upconversion to RF, image signals 74 are sufficiently displaced from the licensed frequency band (70) so as to be filtered off. For wideband modulations, no IF modulation stage occurs, and a direct upconversion takes place from baseband to RF. LO leakage is cancelled using a negative feedback loop that combines a digital DC signal with a communication signal (26, 52) prior to a direct or final analog upconversion stage (62).Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2005Date of Patent: June 2, 2009Assignee: Crestcom, Inc.Inventor: Ronald Duane McCallister
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Publication number: 20090124218Abstract: An RF transmitter (10) includes an RF amplifier (22) that experiences gain-droop distortion as a result of self-heating. A heat compensator (20) is included to insert a gain boost of an amount which is the inverse of the gain droop experienced by the RF amplifier (22). The amount of gain boost is determined by generating a heat signal (88) from low-pass filtering (86) the squared magnitude (82) of a communication signal (14). The heat signal (88) is scaled by a weighting signal (68) estimated by monitoring the amplified RF signal (42) at the output of the RF amplifier (22). A nonlinear relationship section (96) then transforms the scaled signal into a gain-boost signal (94) that corresponds to the inverse of gain droop in the RF amplifier (22).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2007Publication date: May 14, 2009Applicant: CRESTCOM, INC.Inventors: Ronald Duane McCallister, Eric M. Brombaugh
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Publication number: 20090097590Abstract: An RF transmitter (10) includes an RF amplifier (28) that generates an amplified RF signal (36) including a linear RF signal (92) and a spurious baseband signal (94). The spurious baseband signal (94) interacts with bias feed networks (56, 66) to cause the RF amplifier (28) to generate an unwanted RF distortion at or near the allocated RF bandwidth. A baseband compensation signal (98) is generated and equalized in an adaptive equalizer (102) then fed to the RF amplifier (28). A feedback signal (46) is obtained from the RF amplifier (28) and used to drive the adaptive equalizer (102). A feedback loop causes the adaptive equalizer to adjust a baseband signal (24, 32) supplied to the RF amplifier (28) so that the RF distortion is minimized.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2007Publication date: April 16, 2009Applicant: CRESTCOM, INC.Inventors: Ronald Duane McCallister, Eric M. Brombaugh
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Publication number: 20090016411Abstract: A direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) transmitter (12) is configured to form āNā multiple excess-bandwidth channels (44) in an allocated bandwidth (54), where N is an integer. Each excess-bandwidth channel (44) includes a lower rolloff band (40), a minimum-bandwidth channel (38), and an upper rolloff band (42). The N excess-bandwidth channels (44) are placed in the allocated bandwidth (54) so that two of the rolloff bands (40, 42) reside within allocated bandwidth 54 and outside all of minimum-bandwidth channels 38 and so that N?2 of the rolloff bands (40, 42) predominately reside within adjacent minimum-bandwidth channels (38). The excess-bandwidth channels (44) substantially conform to EV-DO standards, and four of the excess-bandwidth channels (44) are supported for each 5 MHz of allocated bandwidth (54).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2007Publication date: January 15, 2009Applicant: CrestCom, Inc.Inventor: Ronald Duane McCallister
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Patent number: 7469491Abstract: A digital communications transmitter (100) includes a digital linear-and-nonlinear predistortion section (200, 1800, 2800) to compensate for linear and nonlinear distortion introduced by transmitter-analog components (120). A direct-digital-downconversion section (300) generates a complex digital return-data stream (254) from the analog components (120) without introducing quadrature imbalance. A relatively low resolution exhibited by the return-data stream (254) is effectively increased through arithmetic processing. Distortion introduced by an analog-to-digital converter (304) may be compensated using a variety of adaptive techniques. Linear distortion is compensated using adaptive techniques with an equalizer (246) positioned in the forward-data stream (112). Nonlinear distortion is then compensated using adaptive techniques with a plurality of equalizers (226) that filter a plurality of orthogonal, higher-ordered-basis functions (214) generated from the forward-data stream (112).Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2004Date of Patent: December 30, 2008Assignee: Crestcom, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Duane McCallister, Eric M. Brombaugh
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Publication number: 20080285640Abstract: An RF transmitter (10) includes a nonlinear predistorter (24). The nonlinear predistorter (24) is implemented using adaptive equalizers (30?, 30?). A feedback signal (20) is developed by downconverting an RF communication signal (16). The feedback signal (20) is used in driving tap coefficients (34) for the adaptive equalizers (30?, 30?). The adaptive equalizers (30?, 30?) filter higher-ordered basis function signals (47?, 47?) generated from an excursion signal 13. The excursion signal 13 exhibits the same phase as a baseline communication signal (12) but has a magnitude that is reduced by a nonlinear threshold (100) when the baseline communication signal (12) exceeds the nonlinear threshold (100) and has a magnitude of zero at other times. The tap coefficients (34) may be formed from proto-coefficients (168) in response to the magnitude of the corresponding portion of the signal being filtered in the adaptive equalizers (30?, 30?).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2007Publication date: November 20, 2008Applicant: CRESTCOM, INC.Inventors: Ronald Duane McCallister, Eric M. Brombaugh
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Patent number: 7430248Abstract: A digital communications transmitter (100) includes a digital linear-and-nonlinear predistortion section (200) to compensate for linear and nonlinear distortion introduced by transmitter-analog components (120). A direct-digital-downconversion section (300) generates a complex digital return-data stream (254) from the analog components (120) without introducing quadrature imbalance. A relatively low resolution exhibited by the return-data stream (254) is effectively increased through arithmetic processing. Linear distortion is first compensated using adaptive techniques with an equalizer (246) positioned in the forward-data stream (112). Nonlinear distortion is then compensated using adaptive techniques with a plurality of equalizers (226) that filter a plurality of orthogonal, higher-ordered-basis functions (214) generated from the forward-data stream (112). The filtered-basis functions are combined together and subtracted from the forward-data stream (112).Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2004Date of Patent: September 30, 2008Assignee: Crestcom, Inc.Inventor: Ronald Duane McCallister
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Publication number: 20080144709Abstract: An RF transmitter (10) includes a linear predistorter (22) and a nonlinear predistorter (24) which together drive analog transmitter components (14). The linear and nonlinear predistorters (22, 24) are implemented using a collection of adaptive equalizers (30). A feedback signal (20) is developed by downconverting an RF communication signal (16) obtained from the analog components (14). The feedback signal (20) are used in driving tap coefficients (34) for the adaptive equalizers (30?, 30?) in the nonlinear predistorter (24). An intermodulation-product canceller (94) uses signal cancellation to cancel intermodulation products from the feedback signal (20) and generate an intermodulation-neutralized feedback signal (96). The intermodulation-neutralized feedback signal (96) is used along with a modulated convergence factor (43) in driving tap coefficients (34) for the adaptive equalizer (30) in the linear predistorter (22).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2006Publication date: June 19, 2008Applicant: CrestCom, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Duane McCallister, Eric M. Brombaugh
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Patent number: 7342976Abstract: A digital communications transmitter (100) includes a digital linear-and-nonlinear predistortion section (200, 1800) to compensate for linear and nonlinear distortion introduced by transmitter-analog components (120). A direct-digital-downconversion section (300) generates a complex digital return-data stream (254) from the analog components (120) without introducing quadrature imbalance. A relatively low resolution exhibited by the return-data stream (254) is effectively increased through arithmetic processing. Distortion introduced by an analog-to-digital converter (304) may be compensated using a variety of adaptive techniques. Linear distortion is compensated using adaptive techniques with an equalizer (246) positioned in the forward-data stream (112). Nonlinear distortion is then compensated using adaptive techniques with a plurality of equalizers (226) that filter a plurality of orthogonal, higher-ordered-basis functions (214) generated from the forward-data stream (112).Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2004Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: CrestCom, Inc.Inventor: Ronald Duane McCallister
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Patent number: 7295816Abstract: A communication and/or amplifier system according to various aspects of the present invention includes an excursion signal generator and a filter system. The excursion signal generator identifies a peak portion of a signal that exceeds a threshold, such as a magnitude threshold. The filter system filters a corresponding excursion signal having a magnitude and waveform corresponding to the portion exceeding the threshold to remove unwanted frequency components from a delayed version of the excursion signal. The filtered excursion signal may then be subtracted from the original signal to reduce the peak. In one embodiment, the communication and/or amplifier system operates in conjunction with signals having multiple channels and subchannels. The system may include a magnitude adjustment system configured to adjust magnitudes of the excursion signal subchannels according to magnitudes of the first signal subchannels.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2003Date of Patent: November 13, 2007Assignee: Crestcom, Inc.Inventor: Ronald D. McCallister
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Patent number: 7251463Abstract: A communication and/or amplifier system according to various aspects of the present invention includes an excursion signal generator and a filter system. The excursion signal generator identifies a portion of a signal that exceeds a threshold, such as a magnitude threshold. The filter system filters a corresponding excursion signal having a magnitude and waveform corresponding to the portion exceeding the threshold to remove unwanted frequency components from the excursion signal. The filtered excursion signal may then be subtracted from the original signal to reduce the peak.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2003Date of Patent: July 31, 2007Assignee: CrestCom, Inc.Inventor: Ronald D. McCallister
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Publication number: 20070165743Abstract: An RF transmitter (10) is configured to transmit either wideband multichannel modulations or narrowband multichannel modulations in a variety of licensed frequency bands (70) using a single set of hardware. For narrowband modulations, a digital IF upconversion stage is performed so that, after upconversion to RF, image signals 74 are sufficiently displaced from the licensed frequency band (70) so as to be filtered off. For wideband modulations, no IF modulation stage occurs, and a direct upconversion takes place from baseband to RF. LO leakage is cancelled using a negative feedback loop that combines a digital DC signal with a communication signal (26, 52) prior to a direct or final analog upconversion stage (62).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2005Publication date: July 19, 2007Applicant: CrestCom, Inc.Inventor: Ronald McCallister
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Publication number: 20070082617Abstract: A transceiver (10) includes an RF transmitter (12) and an RF receiver (14) coupled together through a duplexer (30). An RF transmit signal (20) passes through the duplexer (30) from the transmitter (12) toward an antenna (18), and an RF receive signal (44) passes through the duplexer (30) from the antenna (18) toward the receiver (14). The duplexer (30) may leak significant portions (56, 58) of the transmit signal (20) into the receive signal (44), and the duplexer (30) may significantly distort the transmit signal (20). Such distortion is compensated in the transmitter (12) through the use of a linear predistorter (68) that is adjusted in response to an RF feedback signal obtained from the antenna-side of the duplexer (30) . Transmit signal leakage is compensated in the receiver (14) by producing a processed-cancellation signal (106) that, when combined with the receive signal (44) cancels the transmit signal portions (56, 58) leaked into the receive signal (44).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2005Publication date: April 12, 2007Applicant: CrestCom, Inc.Inventor: Ronald McCallister
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Patent number: 7099399Abstract: A digital communications transmitter (100) includes a digital linear-and-nonlinear predistortion section (200) to compensate for linear and nonlinear distortion introduced by transmitter-analog components (120). A direct-digital-downconversion section (300) generates a complex digital return-data stream (254) from the analog components (120) without introducing quadrature imbalance. A relatively low resolution exhibited by the return-data stream (254) is effectively increased through arithmetic processing. Linear distortion is first compensated using adaptive techniques with an equalizer (246) positioned in the forward-data stream (112). Nonlinear distortion is then compensated using adaptive techniques with a plurality of equalizers (226) that filter a plurality of orthogonal, higher-ordered-basis functions (214) generated from the forward-data stream (112). The filtered-basis functions are combined together and subtracted from the forward-data stream (112).Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2004Date of Patent: August 29, 2006Assignee: Crestcom, Inc.Inventor: Ronald Duane McCallister
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Publication number: 20050163251Abstract: A digital communications transmitter (100) includes a digital linear-and-nonlinear predistortion section (200, 1800) to compensate for linear and nonlinear distortion introduced by transmitter-analog components (120). A direct-digital-downconversion section (300) generates a complex digital return-data stream (254) from the analog components (120) without introducing quadrature imbalance. A relatively low resolution exhibited by the return-data stream (254) is effectively increased through arithmetic processing. Distortion introduced by an analog-to-digital converter (304) may be compensated using a variety of adaptive techniques. Linear distortion is compensated using adaptive techniques with an equalizer (246) positioned in the forward-data stream (112). Nonlinear distortion is then compensated using adaptive techniques with a plurality of equalizers (226) that filter a plurality of orthogonal, higher-ordered-basis functions (214) generated from the forward-data stream (112).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2004Publication date: July 28, 2005Applicant: CrestCom, Inc.Inventor: Ronald McCallister