Abstract: A tri-band antenna and method for forming the same are disclosed. The antenna comprises a meander line radiator, a tapered line radiator coupled to the meander line radiator, a straight line radiator coupled to the tapered line radiator, and a dielectric layer. Exemplary meander line, tapered line, and straight line radiators are formed as microstrip structures overlying the dielectric layer surfaces. According to one embodiment, the meander line radiator is formed on the dielectric top surface and is connected to the tapered line radiator on the dielectric bottom surface through a via. The straight line radiator is connected to the tapered line radiator output on the bottom surface, and is unterminated. In one aspect, the combination of the meander line radiator, tapered line radiator, and straight line radiator forms effective electrical lengths corresponding to the cellular frequency band, the GPS frequency band, and the PCS frequency band.

Abstract: An antenna grounding connection system is provided for wireless communication devices with two or more ground plane sections. A distance is maintained between an antenna feed and an electrical connection between the two ground plane sections. The distance is determined by the wavelength of the wireless communication signal. The distance should be at least one fifteenth of the wavelength of the wireless communication signal. In the case of a rectangular ground plane section, an antenna feed can be placed near one edge of the first ground plane section, and the electrical connection can be placed near an opposite edge of the first ground plane section.

Abstract: A power amplifier matching circuit is provided. The matching circuit includes a ferro-electric tunable component. A control signal is applied to the tunable component, changing the component's impedance. This changes the impedance of the matching circuit.

Abstract: According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a mobile telephone handset construction, which is adapted to be attached removably in an inverted manner to a support element, such as a strap, loop or ring attached to a back-pack or other article of wearing apparel, or any other suitable support element used for supporting the handset construction. The construction of an embodiment of the invention can be quickly retrieved and responded to in a convenient manner when a call is being received. The construction includes a display mounted at a top front face portion of a housing to present information to the user when the display is viewed in a position adapted to be read by the user. A carabiner latch is connected to the housing for attaching to the support element to suspend the construction therefrom in an inverted manner for storage purposes.

Abstract: A system and a method are provided for reducing the effects of spurious frequencies in a wireless communications device. The system comprises a processor having a reference frequency input and a clock having an output connected to the processor input. The clock supplies a clock frequency, or reference frequency, to the processor. The reference frequency is the frequency at which the processor operates. The clock also has an input for selecting a reference frequency to provide to the processor. The system also includes a transceiver having a plurality of selectable communications passbands. If the wireless communications device is a telephone, for example, the transceiver frequency (passband) may change as a function of the mode in which the phone is operating (AMPS, PCS, GSM, CDMA, or W-CDMA). In response to changing operating modes (transceiver passband), the clock frequency is adjusted.

Abstract: A telephone monitors ambient noise, and alters the characteristics of the audible ring to distinguish the sound of the ringing telephone from the ambient noise. Such characteristics include the decibel level, the sound frequency, and the rhythmic pattern or the ringing sound.

Abstract: A transceiver system using a recursive pattern antenna and a method for forming a recursive pattern antenna are provided. The antenna has a first shape and an effective electrical length, and a second shape radiator, modified from a recursively generated pattern of the first shape, with an effective electrical length. The radiator first shape can be a triangle, rectangle, or oval, for example. In some aspects, the antenna further comprises a third shape radiator, modified from a recursively generated pattern of the first shape, with an effective electrical length. Other aspects include a fourth shape radiator, modified from a recursively generated pattern of the first shape, with an effective electrical length. In one aspect, the different radiator effective electrical lengths are conducive to electro-magnetic communications in the range between 824 and 894 MHz, 1565 and 1585 MHz, 1850 and 1990 MHz, and 2400 and 2480 MHz.

Abstract: A effectively balanced dipole antenna is provided comprising an unbalanced microstrip antenna having a transmission line interface and a planar balun connected to the transmission line interface of the antenna. The balun can be coplanar or multi-planar. For example, a coplanar balun includes an unbalanced coplanar transmission line, with a signal line interposed between a pair of coplanar grounds, and a pair of planar stubs plan-wise adjacent the coplanar grounds. The coplanar grounds are connected to the plane stubs with conductive lines proximate to the antenna transmission line interface. A microstrip planar balun includes an unbalanced microstrip signal line, a microstrip ground formed on the dielectric layer underlying the signal line, and a pair of planar stubs, plan-wise adjacent the microstrip ground. The planar stubs can be located on the same dielectric layer as the signal line or the ground. A stripline planar balun is also provided.

Abstract: An exemplary circuit for sensing bi-directional current through a resistive element comprises a sampling unit, a charge transfer unit, and an amplifier. The sampling unit is switchably coupled to the resistive element and samples and stores a voltage corresponding to a current flowing through the resistive element. The charge transfer unit switchably connects the sampling unit to the amplifier such that the charge transfer unit and the amplifier convert the sampled voltage to a ground-referenced output voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the current and in accordance with the direction of the current through resistive element.

Abstract: A wireless communication device is configured for tri-band communication. One of the bands can be for GPS operation. The wireless communication device can comprise an antenna configured to transmit and receive communication signals over two communication bands and to receive GPS signals over a GPS communication band, and a triplexer electrically coupled with the antenna. The triplexer comprises a filter or filters configured to operate at a low frequency band, a filter or filters configured to operate at a mid frequency band, and a filter or filters configured to operate at a high frequency band.

Abstract: A pseudo-fractal antenna is provided comprising a dielectric, and a radiator proximate to the dielectric having an effective electrical length formed in a pseudo-fractal geometry. That is, the radiator includes at least one section formed in a fractal geometry and at least one section formed in a non-fractal geometry. The antenna can be either a monopole or a dipole antenna. For use in a wireless communication telephone, the antenna operating frequency can be approximately 1575 megahertz (MHz), to receive global positioning satellite (GPS) information. In one aspect, the radiator has a fractal geometry section formed as a Koch curve. When the antenna is a dipole, the counterpoise can also be a pseudo-fractal geometry with a section formed in Koch curve fractal geometry section. The radiator can be a conductor embedded in the dielectric. Alternately, the radiator is a conductive line overlying a dielectric layer.

Abstract: A helical antenna is provided that simultaneously resonates at a plurality of frequencies. This antenna comprises a first coil having a first end for termination in a transmission line feed port. A second coil has a first end connected to the first coil second end, and an unterminated second end. In some aspects, a third coil is used, connected to the second coil second end, with an unterminated end. The coils have axial lengths, a wire gauge, and a coil diameter. The axial lengths are approximately equal to a number of turns times a spacing between turns. In addition, the antenna further comprises a first dielectric encompassed by the first and second coils and a second dielectric that encompasses the first and second coils. The antenna resonates at a first frequency and a second frequency, non-harmonically related to the first frequency, in response to the first and second coils.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a global positioning system (GPS) enabled antenna system are provided. The GPS enabled antenna may be used, for example, on a wireless communications device such as a wireless handset. The wireless communications device includes a GPS switching module coupled to a conventional communications antenna, including its associated circuitry. The GPS switching module is adapted to selectively couple the communications antenna to GPS matching circuitry. In this arrangement, the GPS matching circuitry adjusts impedance at approximately 1575 MHz to more closely match the communications antenna to GPS circuitry in the wireless device.

Abstract: A system and method are presented for actively evaluating and adjusting device energy consumption in a personal area network (PAN). The method comprises: polling devices in the PAN to determine respective energy metrics; and, establishing network communications between devices using the energy metrics. More specifically, a master device establishes network communications rules between the devices as a result of the polling activity. The master device identifies energy metrics including the battery charge status for devices powered by battery and device link energy metrics associated with network link communication operations, determines the priority of operation for the devices, and optimizes device battery life in response to the energy metrics and the priority of operation for the devices.

Abstract: Briefly, the location capable mobile handset allows the user to provide a call recipient with the location of an unsuccessful attempted emergency call. In one specific example, the call may be an E911 call to a PSAP dispatcher, however, it will be appreciated that the call may be to request assistance from a family member, or friend. Additionally, the call may be to a towing service. The call could be any call that a mobile handset user wants to send location information to the party that has been called. Returning to the E911 call example, the location information reported to dispatcher can include the location of initial E911 call, current location during a successful E911 call, or ground track information from the initial location to the current location. When an E911 call is unsuccessfully attempted the mobile handset stores the location of the mobile handset at that time. This information can later be transmitted when the mobile handset is in a coverage area.

Abstract: A tunable capacitor that introduces significantly less loss, if any, costs less and is smaller than previously available. A bias electrode is coupled to a FE material. The capacitor electrodes are electro-magnetically coupled to the FE material, such that the capacitor electrodes and the bias electrode are not touching. Only non-conductive material is in the gap defined by the capacitor electrodes. The bias electrode is used to apply a variable DC voltage to the FE material. A capacitor electrode serves as a DC ground for producing a variable DC field between the bias electrode and the capacitor electrodes.

Abstract: A broadband communication appliance allows multiple, simultaneous access by a multiplicity of users to a high-speed broadband wide area network connection. Multiple data lines, facilitated within a user premises are aggregated, by high-density connectors, into a system that includes multiple DSL modems, coupled to a wide area network through a high-speed network interface device. Data service requests are detected and particular ones of the DSL modems are assigned to service a particular data line. Bi-directional communication, using the modem bank, is concentrated through the high-speed network interface device, such that multiple users are able to obtain broadband connectivity, using DSL data rates. Users are authenticated as DSL subscribers, by maintaining their subscription profile information on an authentication server.

Abstract: An exemplary printed monopole multi-band antenna comprises a common radiator element, a first radiator arm connected to the common radiator element and a second radiator arm connected to the common radiator element. Electromagnetic coupling between the first radiator arm and the second radiator arm contributes to and/or shifts the resonance of the first radiator arm and the second radiator arm, thereby allowing the multi-band antenna to be tuned such that the first radiator arm is capable of resonating at a first frequency range and at a second frequency range, and the second radiator arm is capable of resonating at a third frequency range.

Abstract: The present invention provides a peer-to-peer data communication system and method that allows a first handset and a second handset to engage in data communications over a wireless communication network. In doing so, the first handset creates a server opcode set and combines the server opcode set with a corresponding server data payload. The server opcode set and corresponding server data payload are then sent to a network server where the data is extracted and the opcodes are translated into executable instructions that are carried out. The executable instructions cause the network server to compile a remote opcode set and a corresponding remote data payload. This remote opcode set and remote data payload are sent to the second handset, which is identified by the first handset in the server data payload.

Abstract: The hands-free car kit allows a mobile handset to enter and exit privacy mode without the user having to press a privacy button. The simple act of picking up the mobile handset out of its cradle switches the hands-free car kit from hands-free mode to privacy mode. When the mobile handset is installed in the cradle the hands-free car kit enters hands-free mode. If the mobile handset is removed from the cradle the hands-free car kit enters privacy mode.