Abstract: A radar system having a beamless emission signature is described. In one implementation, the radar system includes a transmission system and a receiver system. The transmission system is configured to transmit a pattern comprising a plurality of radar signals having different frequencies simultaneously. The receiver system is configured to receive a reflection of the pattern and combine the plurality of radar signals into a composite waveform forming an image of a target.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating short electronic pulses using a modified differential trigger that is partly an analogue sinusoidal voltage and partly a selectable, DC voltage. The differential trigger is applied to a differential base band pulse generator having a NAND gate and AND gate. The trigger is applied to both NAND inputs and to one AND input. The NAND output is applied the other AND input. Such a circuit is an OFF state for all input states. However, as the input switches state, the NAND gate delay causes the AND gate to be ON briefly, generating a short pulse. The timing of this pulse can be controlled by varying the constant DC voltage. By using fast switching SiGe CML gates, short pulses with a controllable time off-set can be generated that are suitable for use in automotive radar applications, using only sub-GHz clocks.

Abstract: SiGe Differential Cascode Amplifier with Miller Effect Resonator A high-power, high frequency (1-100 GHz) power amplifier, made using SiGe transistors. A differential common-emitter amplifier section supplies the voltage amplification, allowing the total voltage swing of the amplifier to be twice the breakdown voltage of the individual transistors. Current amplification is supplied by a differential common-emitter amplifier section, connected in cascode with the differential common-emitter amplifier section. Appropriately chosen resonators in the cascode connection resonate out the Miller effect, negative current feed back of the circuit at the amplifier's operational frequency, allowing the amplifier to provide high power output at the operational frequency.

Abstract: A low control voltage switch utilizing a plurality of field effect transistors (FETs) having a total of six gates to allow the switch to operate at a low control voltage without the need to increase device periphery or die size. Feed-forward capacitors connected between the gate and source of an uppermost FET and the gate and drain of a lowermost FET are used to reduce signal distortion and improve the linearity and harmonic noise rejection characteristics of the FETs within the switch and thus lower the harmonics of the switch.

Abstract: Increasing performance of planar inductors used in broadband applications is described. In one implementation, an apparatus includes a high Quality factor (Q) value spiral planar inductor etched directly into a printed circuit board. A ferrite structure is attached to the printed circuit board and located in proximity to the high Q value spiral planar inductor. The ferrite structure increases the Q of spiral planar inductors, but without the inconvenience and expense of a wire wound terroidal inductors. Various shaped ferrite structures may be used in conjuction with the spiral planar inductors. Additionally, in certain implementations, the ferrite structures are configured to rotate about axis permitting the inductors to be tuned, even after components have been installed on a printed circuit board.

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: A receiver circuit including an oscillator, a mixer coupled to the oscillator, a switch coupled to an output of the mixer, and an envelope detector coupled to the oscillator, such that the envelope detector generates a timing signal for actuating the switch based on the envelope of a signal produced by the oscillator. In one exemplary embodiment, the receiver circuit may be used as part of a radar based sensor system.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed that allows for the designation of over 1,000,000 individual users in a communication system, such as an EDACS system, using the existing five-digit portion of command message utilized for specifying the destination address. This is accomplished by using an Extended Addressing Digital Interface (EADI) protocol using hexadecimal characters in the command message rather than decimal characters, thereby creating an “extended addressing” (EA) capability. The largest five-digit hexadecimal number, FFFFF, corresponds to the decimal number 1,048,575, thereby realizing the ability to exceed one million users, without having to change the size (number of digits) in the command message. Backward compatibility is assured by adding new mode commands that identify a particular command message as being generated by EA compatible equipment.

Abstract: In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a dielectric resonator is provided with a longitudinal through hole with a diameter that varies as a function of height of the resonator so as to increase the frequency spacing between the fundamental mode and the spurious modes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring and storing a status of a rechargeable battery pack in which the battery pack status is monitored by a device while the battery pack is functionally connected to that device, and then periodically updated to a non-volatile memory in the battery pack. The non-volatile memory may be connected in power isolation from the rechargeable cells, thereby ensuring that the battery is not drained during long periods of storage. The battery pack may also have a latch, which has to be released in order to remove the battery pack from any device to which it can be functionally connected. Releasing the latch may cause the battery status to be written to the non-volatile memory, ensuring that the battery's memory has up-to-date battery status information, whenever the battery is removed from the device regardless of any scheduled data writes.

Abstract: An apparatus including an amplitude mapping circuit for converting at least a portion of an amplitude signal to a binary value and a plurality of amplifiers coupled to the amplitude mapping circuit, such that the binary value is transmitted to at least one of the plurality of amplifiers to specify a gain level of the amplifier. The apparatus may be used in a system where an input wave has been divided into amplitude and frequency components.

Abstract: In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a resonator puck is provided with one or more vertical and/or horizontal, radial slits that improve the quality factor, Q, of circuits constructed from the resonators. Preferably, the slits are very narrow and, more preferably, about 100 to 1000 atoms wide. In some preferred embodiments of the invention, the surfaces of the resonators that define the slit are left relatively rough and may even contact each other such that the slit is not of uniform thickness, but essentially comprises a plurality of pockets between the two portions of the resonator.

Abstract: A process of determining target parameters of an object within a field of detection of an automotive radar system, the process comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a target range from a sequence of ranges; (b) dwelling on the target range for an initial dwell time to obtain sensor data; (c) determining if the sensor data corresponds to the presence of an object or to the absence of an object at the target range based on probability density distributions of an object being present and being absent at the target range, and if such the determination cannot be made, then repeating steps (b)-(c) until the determination can be made; (d) if the sensor data is determined to correspond to the presence of an object in step (c), then dwelling at the target range for an extended dwell time to obtain additional sensor data for determining the target parameters of the object before proceeding to step (e); and (e) establishing the next of the sequence of ranges as the target range before reiterating steps (b)-(e).

Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes a calibration circuit with a controllable circuit element such as a digital resistor. One or more properties of the controllable circuit element (e.g., the resistance in a digital resistor) is varied by a digital calibration word such that the voltage drop across the resistor matches a reference voltage. The calibration word is also used to control the resistance of a transistor that forms a part of a power amplifier to compensate for temperature and process variations. The amplifier may be a switching power amplifier, and the transistor may be a segmented transistor with the width (and hence the channel resistance) controlled by the digital calibration word.

Abstract: A cross-coupled dielectric resonator circuit. Resonator circuits in accordance with the invention may be used to build low-loss compact filters, oscillators, and other circuits, particularly microwave circuits. The resonators are arranged relatively to each other within an enclosure in a very efficient and compact design that enhances adjustability and coupling between adjacent resonators and the cross-coupling of alternate resonators.

Abstract: A multi-stage amplifier including a first amplifier stage including a first transistor, the first transistor selected to provide an optimum noise characteristic, and a second amplifier stage including a second transistor, the second transistor selected to provide an optimum gain characteristic.

Abstract: A power amplifier circuit includes a circuit topology with first and second switching elements. The first and second switching elements have a closed state and an open state, wherein current flows between the switching elements when they are both in the closed state. The voltage across the first and second switching elements is regulated by a clamping element that sets the connection between the first and second switching elements to a reference voltage when the switching elements are in the off position. The power amplifier may be a switching power amplifier, and the first and second switching elements may be transistors.

Abstract: A heterojunction P-I-N diode switch comprises a first layer of doped semiconductor material of a first doping type, a second layer of doped semiconductor material of a second doping type and a substrate on which is disposed the first and second layers. An intrinsic layer of semiconductor material is disposed between the first layer and second layer. The semiconductor material composition of at least one of the first layer and second layer is sufficiently different from that of the intrinsic layer so as to form a heterojunction therebetween, creating an energy barrier in which injected carriers from the junction are confined by the barrier, effectively reducing the series resistance within the I region of the P-I-N diode and the insertion loss relative to that of homojunction P-I-N diodes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for amplifying a radiofrequency (RF) signal. The apparatus comprises a control circuit including a first transistor, a second transistor, and a ballast resistor coupled between an emitter terminal of the first transistor and a base terminal of the second transistor, such that a control voltage applied to a base terminal of the first transistor controls the amplification of a signal applied to the base terminal of the second transistor. Additional elements may be coupled to the control circuit to improve the performance thereof, including a feedback stabilization circuit, a diode stack circuit, a bypass capacitor and an additional resistor.

Abstract: An improved leadframe-based CSP and a method of forming the leadframe-based CSP are provided. The leadframe-based CSP includes a leadframe including a die attach pad and a plurality of wire bonding pads, at least one aperture disposed in the die attach pad, at least one die on the die attach pad, at least one bonding wire for electrically connecting the die and the wire bonding pads, and a mold compound for encapsulating the die and the bonding wire to form a chip package, wherein the mold compound is formed in the aperture.