Abstract: A message is automatically broadcast to a plurality of recipients from a mobile wireless communications device. A recipient list of recipient names and addresses is preprogrammed and stored in the wireless communications device. Recorded voice and text messages are sent to recipients and recipient telephones, voicemail systems, and email and Internet addresses from the recipient list. Delivery status options can be selected to identify the recipient addresses receiving the message, the recipient addresses with answering machines receiving the message, the recipient addresses not accepting the message, or non-communicating recipient addresses. In addition, recipient message response options can be selected including accepting, displaying or storing the responses. Recipient non-receipt options also can be selected, such as rebroadcasting the message, displaying a status message, or doing nothing in response to recipient addresses not receiving the message.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing an apparent height of a board system are provided. The board system may include, for example, a carrier, a component, a printed circuit board and/or a solder material. The component is mounted on a first side of the carrier. The printed circuit board has a hole that is structured to accommodate the component. The solder material solders the carrier to the printed circuit board and provides a structural bond between the carrier and the printed circuit board. At least one portion of the solder material provides an electrical coupling between the carrier and the printed circuit board and at least one portion of the component is maintained in the hole after the carrier is soldered to the printed circuit board.

Abstract: An inverted-F ferroelectric antenna is provided. The antenna comprises a counterpoise, or groundplane, and a radiator structure having a first end and a second end. A capacitor, formed from a ferroelectric dielectric is interposed between the second end of the radiator and the counterpoise. The capacitor has a variable dielectric constant, and the antenna is resonant at a frequency responsive to the dielectric constant of the capacitor ferroelectric material. Typically, the capacitor includes a dielectric formed from a fixed constant dielectric, together with a ferroelectric dielectric with a variable dielectric constant. A bias voltage feed is used to apply a voltage to the capacitor ferroelectric dielectric. The ferroelectric dielectric has a dielectric constant that varies in response to the applied voltage.

Abstract: A receiver uses an adaptive algorithm to tune a low-cost crystal oscillator according to a temperature compensation profile so as to produce a precision master reference frequency despite temperature, initial tolerance, and aging effects. An automatic frequency control system also tunes the crystal oscillator. The adaptive algorithm adjusts the temperature compensation profile for the crystal oscillator according to the adjustments made by the automatic frequency control should a received signal's quality factor exceed that associated with the temperature compensation profile.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a charge voltage is coupled between the positive and negative terminals of a rechargeable battery, to charge the battery. The charge voltage is disconnected for a predetermined relax time period. A rechargeable battery voltage is present between the positive and negative terminals of the battery during the relax time. The battery voltage is measured and compared to a predetermined target voltage that is associated with a sample time. The comparison is then used to determine if the battery is charged.

Abstract: Briefly, the mobile phone as a monitoring appliance allows a mobile phone to function as a remote-monitoring device. The mobile phone is turned on and left in the place to be monitored. After the mobile phone has a positive sound volume level comparison or a positive sound volume level comparison and a positive comparison to a target sound, the mobile phone places a telephone call to a predetermined telephone number and transmits the sound received by the microphone in the mobile phone.

Abstract: A tunable ferroelectric component and a narrowband resonant circuit for measuring the loss of the ferroelectric component. The ferroelectric component may be a capacitor integrated in the resonant circuit. The testing method eliminates other sources of loss to isolate the loss due to the ferroelectric material and to demonstrate that this loss is low.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for diversifying radiated electromagnetic communications in a wireless telephone device. The method comprises: mounting antennas internal to a wireless telephone device chassis; sensing conducted electromagnetic transmission line signals communicated by the antennas; and, selecting between the antennas in response to sensing the transmission line signals. In some aspects, sensing transmission line signals includes sensing transmission line signal power levels. For example, the transmission line signal power levels of transmitted signals reflected by the antennas are sensed. In other aspects, sensing transmission line signals includes sensing the radiated signals received at the antennas and conducted on the transmission line. For example, the power levels of the radiated signals conducted on the transmission lines can be sensed. Alternately, the radiated are received and decoded.

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: An exemplary wireless communication device comprises a housing having a front surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface, wherein the second side surface is situated opposite the first side surface of the housing. An antenna is situated proximate the first side surface, and a speaker and a microphone are situated proximate the second side surface of the housing, which results in increased distance and EM interference between the user's head and the antenna during conversational use of the wireless communication device.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for field diagnosing system software in a wireless communications device. The method comprises: executing system software; launching a run-time engine; receiving patch manager run time instructions (PMRTI), including dynamic instruction sets and new code sections, in a file system section nonvolatile memory; and, processing dynamic instruction sets to field diagnose the system software. Processing the dynamic instruction sets includes: executing the diagnosis instruction sets with the system software to collect data; analyzing the collected data; and, in response to analyzing the collected data, operating on system data and system software. The method further comprises: following the operating on the system software and system data, executing the system software.

Abstract: A pick and place system comprises a pick and place nozzle. The nozzle includes a groove comprising tapered sides that feed into a depression at the bottom of the groove, and a plurality of air holes configured to allow air suction to attract a component and hold it in the groove in such a manner as to ensure that the component can be accurately placed. The system also comprises a tray configured to hold a plurality of components to be picked up and placed using the pick and place nozzle. The tray can be configured to hold the components in a precise location within the tray.

Abstract: A ferro-electric filter and method of tuning same. The filter includes a switch for switching between quarter wave resonator and half wave resonator modes. The filter also includes a ferro-electric component for tuning the resonant frequency. The method includes applying a switching control signal to the switch for switching between resonant frequencies and applying a tuning control signal for tuning the resonant frequency.

Abstract: An multi-position wireless communication device comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion. The second housing portion is capable of being arranged in a first closed position-relative to the first housing portion and in a second open position relative to the first housing portion. The wireless communication device further comprises at least one external key situated on the exterior surface of one of the first and second housing portions. The at least one external key is capable of being activated by a user when the wireless communication device in the closed position for defining a call recipient and for initiating a call to the call recipient.

Abstract: A tunable low noise amplifier matching circuit is provided. The matching circuit includes a ferroelectric tunable component. A control signal is applied to the tunable component, changing the component's impedance. This changes the impedance or the noise figure response, or both, of the matching circuit.

Abstract: A coupled-feed inverted-F antenna is provided comprising a transmission line port, an open radiator with an unterminated end, a shorted “L” shaped radiator connected to the open radiator with a terminated end, a coupled-feed connected between the transmission line port signal interface and the open and shorted radiators, and a groundplane. The coupled-feed is oriented parallel to the open radiator. A coplanar inverted-F antenna is provided comprising a transmission line port, an open radiator oriented in a first plane, a shorted “L” shaped radiator oriented in the first plane connected to the open radiator and having an terminated end, a feed oriented in the first plane and connected between the transmission line port signal interface and the radiators, and a groundplane oriented in the first plane. The shorted radiator is terminated in the transmission line port ground interface. The antenna may also employ both coplanar and coupled-feed features.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical switch (MEMS) beam-steering antenna array is provided. The antenna comprises an active element including a selectively connectable MEMS, and a lattice of beam-forming parasitic elements, each including a selectively connectable MEMS, proximate to the active element. In some aspects, the active element is a dipole radiator having an effective quarter-wavelength odd multiple length at a first plurality of frequencies in response to connecting radiator MEMS. Likewise, the dipole counterpoise has an effective quarter-wavelength odd multiple length at the first plurality of frequencies in response to connecting counterpoise MEMS. Further, each parasitic element has an effective half-wavelength odd multiple length at the first plurality of frequencies in response to connecting their corresponding MEMS. In other aspects, the active element is a monopole and includes a radiator with a radiator MEMS, a counterpoise groundplane, and parasitic elements with MEMSs.

Abstract: A wireless communication device comprises a transmitter configured to transmit wireless communication signals and a receiver. The receiver comprises a GPS receiver configured to receive GPS signals and a wireless communications receiver configured to receiver wireless communications signals. The wireless communication device also comprise a processor coupled with the receiver and the transmitter, the processor configured to process the GPS signals received by the GPS receiver and the wireless communications signals received by the wireless communication receiver, and to generate the wireless communication signals transmitted by the transmitter.

Abstract: The present invention quantifies and reduces losses in tunable bandpass filters having ferro-electric capacitors. Given a required insertion loss and the quality factor of a resonator, the geometric losses resulting from a particular topology for the ferro-electric capacitor and the metal losses are accounted for to quantify the allowable ferro-electric losses.

Abstract: A system for reducing an apparent height of a board system is provided. The board system may include, for example, a carrier, a component, a printed circuit board and/or a solder material. The component is mounted on a first side of the carrier. The printed circuit board has a hole that is structured to accommodate the component. The solder material solders the carrier to the printed circuit board and provides a structural bond between the carrier and the printed circuit board. At least one portion of the solder material provides an electrical coupling between the carrier and the printed circuit board and at least one portion of the component is maintained in the hole after the carrier is soldered to the printed circuit board.