Abstract: The present invention relates to a system single-metal plating, a system for binary-metal plating, and a system for solder-bump plating. The solder-bump plating system comprises a single-metal plating system for plating a preconditioned substrate to form a single-metal plated substrate; and a binary-metal plating system for plating the single-metal plated substrate. In a preferred implementation, the solder-bump plating system of the present invention is configured to single-metal plate a preconditioned substrate using a first plating solution to provide a single-plated substrate; to single-metal plate the single-plated substrate using a second plating solution to provide a double-plated substrate; and to binary-metal plate the double-plated substrate using a third plating solution to provide a solder-bump plated substrate.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and apparatus for estimating a height of a target object using radar signals reflected from the target object wherein a receiver detects a plurality of radar signals reflected from the target object, respectively, at a plurality of different ranges, resolves the amplitudes of the plurality of reflected signals at the respective plurality of different ranges to generate an amplitude data set, and determining if the amplitude data set correlates to a particular height.

Abstract: An embodiment is a method for configuring a terminal (e.g., a radio) over a radio control channel. Instead of requiring on-site technicians to physically connect to the radios or error-prone and time consuming data calls to individual radios, an embodiment broadcasts software and configuration data as part of one or more radio control channel messages. As the radio control message or multiple messages are broadcast, any radio listening to the radio control message(s) may be configured. Additionally, radios of a particular type will be configured to use the same version of software and configuration data.

Abstract: An embodiment is a radio system including a primary radio site and one or more fully redundant hot standby radio sites that may be activated in the event of a catastrophic failure of the primary radio site. In an embodiment, a hot standby radio site may be activated automatically to substantially avoid the radio service restoration delay that would accompany, for example, manual initiation of the failover to the hot standby radio site.

Abstract: A dielectric resonator radiator comprising first and second portions, each portion being conical or monotonically varying in shape having a larger basal surface and a smaller basal surface and defining a longitudinal axis, the first and second portions being arranged with their longitudinal axes collinear and their larger basal surfaces parallel and adjacent to each other and separated by a gap.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for processing an electromagnetic input signal in which processing circuitry may be used to produce a bounded phase signal, such as by calculating an n-bit 2's compliment number in the range of [?1, 1] from phase sample information for an input wave; and producing an unwrapped phase difference signal from the bound phase signal, such as by taking a 2's compliment subtraction using another wrapped phase signal from previous phase sample information. A corrected phase signal may also be used by taking a 2's complement addition using the bounded phase signal, wherein the unwrapped phase difference signal is produced using the corrected phase signal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a monopole extending substantially along an axis that may be vertical. However, the monopole may have a loop portion that deviates from the axis. Further, the apparatus includes multiple conductive elements, each having a substantially linear first segment that is coupled to the monopole. The first segments may be coplanar and/or perpendicular to the axis. Each of the conductive elements may further include a second segment that is substantially parallel to the axis. One or more of these segments may be connected to a ground potential. Also, the conductive elements may each include a third segment having a loop pattern.

Abstract: In order to permit electronic tuning of the frequency of a circuit including dielectric resonators, such as a dielectric resonator filter, tuning plates are employed adjacent the individual dielectric resonators. The tuning plates comprises two separate conductive portions and an electronically tunable element electrically coupled therebetween. The electronically tunable element can be any electronic component that will permit changing the capacitance between the two separate conductive portions of the tuning plates by altering the current or voltage supplied to the electronically tunable element. Such components include virtually any two or three terminal semiconductor device. However, preferable devices include varactor diodes and PIN diodes.

Abstract: The invention comprises a technique and associated mechanisms by which dielectric resonator circuits, such as filters, can be tuned in both frequency, bandwidth or both without the need for irises, tuning screws and/or tuning plates. In accordance with the invention, the positions of the dielectric resonators are adjustable relative to each other within the cavity in multiple ways, including vertically and horizontally. The dielectric resonators also may tilt relative to each other. Furthermore, an off-center longitudinal hole can be machined in one or more of the dielectric resonators so as to make the electromagnetic field of the resonator non-uniform so that the dielectric resonator can be rotated about its longitudinal axis to alter the coupling between dielectric resonators.

Abstract: The invention relates to for processing an electromagnetic input signal, wherein the signal is passed through an input to be modified across a plurality of modifying segments using a characteristic of the signal, and wherein the plurality of segments have a plurality of states controlled by a control signal, by determining a reference impedance for the input for one or more states of the plurality of segments; and adaptively adjusting impedance of the input toward the reference impedance. This may be accomplished for example, by using a matching circuit comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of a digital signal processor, a microprocessor, a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, a phase shifter, a resistor, a variable inductor, and a variable capacitor. The matching circuit determines shifts in impedance of the input after a change in state of the segments; and adaptively adjusts the impedance based upon the shift.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a system for determining a transfer function for emphasizing an electromagnetic signal prior to being processed by determining a discrete transfer function for a processing system, such as a wideband phase modulator; determining a target transfer function such that the target transfer function multiplied by the inverse of the discrete transfer function produces a discrete pre-emphasis transfer function; and transforming any unstable poles and/or zeros in the pre-emphasis transfer function to stable poles and/or zeros. The discrete transfer function may be determined, for example, by using an S-function, input and output signals, the inverse-invariant method, and/or the Steiglitz-McBride algorithm. The transformation of the unstable poles and/or zeros may be accomplished using an all pass filter. The target transfer function may be a low pass FIR filter having a gain of about unity across substantially all of the frequency range of said FIR filter.

Abstract: An antenna formed on a dielectric substrate having first and second opposing surfaces, a first meander antenna element disposed on the first surface of the substrate and a second meander antenna element disposed on the second surface of the substrate.

Abstract: In order to generate a signal for canceling a chirped signal, a transmitter generates a cancellation signal along with the transmitted signal, using a single term variable complex gain multiplier adapted to cancel the chirped signal only at its instantaneous frequency, rather than attempting to cancel it with a complex FIR filter that works over the entire bandwidth of the chirped signal. The cancellation signal is varied in amplitude and phase as a function of the frequency of the chirped transmit signal for which it is intended to compensate. Since the signal that is to be cancelled is essentially sinusoidal but swept through a frequency range, the cancellation signal for the instantaneous transmit signal needs to be swept in both amplitude and phase in unison with the change in frequency of the transmit signal in order to accommodate gain and phase changes in the transmitted signal as a function of frequency.

Abstract: A serial controller for use in controlling various radio frequency (RF) modules within an RF integrated circuit is disclosed. The serial controller is coupled to an serial bus that internal to the RFIC that transmits commands and data from a microcontroller to a data receiver module within the serial controller. The serial commands and data are transmitted across the serial bus in a data packet format having an address-overhead portion and a data portion, wherein the data receiver module removes the address-overhead bits from the packet and provides the data portion of the packet as output data. A decoder/coder logic module coupled to the data receiver receives the serial data and is operative to process the serial data and in response thereto activate one or more control signals. An RF module includes at least one circuit and one or more switching elements that are coupled to the one or more control signals.

Abstract: Various techniques for biasing a radio frequency digital-to-analog converter are described. In one embodiment, a baseband processor may comprise a plurality of output drivers to generate a plurality of base currents for biasing a radio frequency digital-to-analog converter. The baseband processor may comprise a serial control interface to generate a programming signal for controlling a relationship among the plurality of base currents. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: The invention is a dielectric resonator circuit comprising a housing; first, second, and third resonators positioned substantially in a row within the housing with said second resonator positioned between the first and third resonators, wherein the resonators are positioned relative to each other such that a field generated in each resonator couples to an adjacent resonator; wherein the housing encloses the resonators and has a separating wall positioned between the first and third resonators in order to control electromagnetic coupling between the first and third resonators; and wherein said first separating wall comprises a first end and a second end along a length thereof and wherein the separating wall defines an iris at the first end, the wall comprising a main wall portion positioned substantially between the first and third resonators and an extension wall portion at the first end that extends at an angle from the main wall portion of said wall.

Abstract: A method for determining an open or available channel from a plurality of predetermined channels for communication between a portable unit and a mobile repeater unit operating within the same wireless communication system. After an available channel has been selected, communication between the portable unit and the mobile repeater unit is established on the selected channel, and the selected channel is identified as active to all other portable units and mobile repeater units operating on the system.

Abstract: A high power shunt switch comprises a leadframe including a paddle for supporting a shunt element, and a plurality of bond pads located around a periphery of the paddle, wherein at least a first subset of the bond pads are aligned in a substantially straight-line configuration. A shunt element is fixedly attached to the paddle and wire bonded to a top surface of one the bond pads. An encapsulant is disposed on the paddle, the shunt element, the plurality of bond pads, and the wire bond, thereby forming an encapsulated package structure. The package structure is positioned and attached to a transmission line such that the bottom surfaces of each of the at least first subset of bond pads are in simultaneous contact with the transmission line. The package structure and the transmission line are fixedly attached to a suitable substrate.

Abstract: A dielectric resonator having variable cross-section, preferably varying monotonically, and, most preferably, the resonator being in the shape of a truncated cone. Such shapes displace the H11 mode from the TE mode in the longitudinal direction of the cone. Truncating the cone to eliminate the portion of the cone where the H11 mode exists, virtually eliminates the H11 mode. A circuit comprising a plurality of these resonators may be arranged in an enclosure with each resonator longitudinally inverted relative to adjacent resonator(s) to provide a compact design with enhanced coupling and adjustability. A spiral coupling loop provides high magnetic flux in a small physical volume for coupling energy into or out of the circuit. Alternately, the resonator can coupled to a microstrip by placing the resonator upside-down near the microstrip, whereby the TE mode is immediately above the microstrip, providing enhanced coupling there between.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transmitting signal, the apparatus comprising a front end telecommunications module including a power amplifier, a matching circuit coupled to the power amplifier, and a filter coupled to the matching circuit, such that a signal received by the power amplifier is transmitted to the filter through the matching circuit. The telecommunications module provides quad-band capability in a compact design.