Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for detecting a plurality of use cases of a communication device, determining an initial tuning state for each of a plurality of tuning algorithms according to the plurality of use cases, configuring each of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to their respective initial tuning state, executing a first tuning algorithm of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to an order of execution of the plurality of tuning algorithms, detecting a stability condition of the first tuning algorithm, and executing a second tuning algorithm of the plurality of tuning algorithms responsive to the detected stability condition of the first tuning algorithm. Each tuning algorithms can control one of a tunable reactive element, a control interface, or both of one of a plurality of circuit components of a radio frequency circuit. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a tuning system for a communication device having an antenna where the tuning system includes at least one first tunable element connected with at least one radiating element of the antenna for tuning the antenna where the adjusting of the at least one first tunable element is based on a closed loop process, and a matching network having at least one second tunable element coupled at a feed point of the antenna for tuning the matching network based on an operational parameter of the communication device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a tuning system for a communication device having an antenna, where the tuning system includes at least one first tunable element connected with at least one radiating element of the antenna for tuning the antenna where the adjusting of the at least one first tunable element is based on at least one of a use case associated with the communication device and location information associated with the communication device, and a matching network having at least one second tunable element coupled at a feed point of the antenna, wherein the matching network receives control signals for adjusting the at least one second tunable element to tune the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a transceiver, an antenna tuner connecting said transceiver to an antenna, a power sensor adapted to acquire measurements about transmit power, a receive signal strength indicator (RSSI) adapted to acquire measurements about receive power and wherein said tuner tunes said antenna based upon said transmit and receive measurements to optimize said antenna in both the receive and transmit bands.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having an RF matching network including one or more variable reactive elements, where the RF matching network has a first port coupled to a transceiver and second port coupled to an antenna. The RF matching network can modify signal power transferred between the first port and the second port according to one or more bias signals applied to the one or more variable reactive elements to vary a variable impedance of the RF matching network. The one or more variable reactive elements are coupled to a circuit that maps one or more control signals to the one or more bias signals, and wherein the one or more control signals are generated by a controller according to a mode of operation of a communication device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions to obtain at least one operational parameter associated with a communication device and to adjust a steerable antenna of the communication device when the communication device does not satisfy an impedance threshold, where the satisfying of the impedance threshold is determined based on the at least one operational parameter. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A multi-layered capacitor includes three or more capacitor layers. A first layer includes a first DC-biased, tunable capacitor. A second layer, acoustically coupled to the first layer, includes a second DC-biased, tunable capacitor. A third layer, acoustically coupled to the second layer, includes a third DC-biased, tunable capacitor. Each dielectric of the first, second, and third capacitors has a resonance of about the same frequency, within 5%, and inner electrodes of the first, second, and third capacitors have a resonance of about the same frequency, within 5%. The resonance of each layer is a function of at least thickness, density, and material. The first, second, and third layers are biased to generate destructive acoustic interference, and the multi-layer capacitor is operable at frequencies greater than 0.1 GHz.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which can include computer instructions to determine a subset of use cases from a group of use cases stored in a memory of a communication device, and to determine a target use case from among the subset of use cases based on an operational parameter associated with a transceiver of the communication device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for fabricating a thin film capacitor involving depositing an electrode layer of conductive material on top of a substrate material, depositing a first layer of ferroelectric material on top of the substrat e material using a metal organic deposition or chemical solution deposition process, depositing a second layer of ferroelectric material on top of the first layer using a high temperature sputter process and depositing a metal interconnect layer to provide electric connections to layers of the capacitor.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a matching network having one or more controllable variable reactive elements coupled to at least one input port and at least one output port. The one or more controllable variable reactive elements can be adapted to increase power transferred from the at least one input port to the at least one output port responsive to signals generated by a controller adapted to adjust one or more reactances within the matching network according to a mode of operation of a device detected by the controller. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having one or more controllable variable reactive elements coupled to at least one input port and at least one output port, and a voltage detector coupled to the at least one output port to provide voltage information to a controller. The controller can be adapted to generate one or more control signals responsive to the voltage information provided by the voltage detector. The one or more controllable variable reactive elements can be coupled to a circuit adapted to map the one or more control signals that are output from the controller to a signal range that is compatible with said one or more controllable variable reactive elements. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a transceiver, an antenna tuner connecting the transceiver to an antenna, a power sensor adapted to acquire measurements about transmit power, a receive signal strength indicator (RSSI) adapted to acquire measurements about receive power and wherein the tuner tunes the antenna based upon the transmit and receive measurements to optimize the antenna in both the receive and transmit bands.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention an apparatus, comprising an apparatus, comprising an adaptively-tuned antenna including a variable reactance network connected to the antenna, an RF field probe located near the antenna, an RF detector to sense voltage from the field probe, a controller that monitors the RF voltage and supplies control signals to a driver circuit and wherein the driver circuit converts the control signals to bias signals for the variable reactance network.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a first solid electrode, a second electrode separated into subsections, and a dielectric medium separating the subsections from the first solid electrode, where the subsections of the second electrode include a first group of subsections and a second group of subsections, where the first group of subsections are connectable with a first terminal for receiving an input signal, and where the second group of subsections is connectable with a second terminal for providing an output signal. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for generating a look-up table relating a plurality of complex reflection coefficients to a plurality of matched states for a tunable matching network. Typical steps include measuring a plurality of complex reflection coefficients resulting from a plurality of impedance loads while the tunable matching network is in a predetermined state, determining a plurality of matched states for the plurality of impedance loads, with a matched state determined for each of the plurality of impedance loads and providing the determined matched states as a look-up table. A further step is interpolating the measured complex reflection coefficients and the determined matching states into a set of complex reflection coefficients with predetermined step sizes.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an RF ID card reader, comprising RF ID circuitry to generate an RF ID signal, a transceiver in communication with said RF ID circuitry and an array antenna associated with said transceiver for scanning an area for at least one tag and establishing communication with at least one tag.

Abstract: A multi-layered capacitor includes three or more capacitor layers. A first layer includes a first DC-biased, tunable capacitor. A second layer, acoustically coupled to the first layer, includes a second DC-biased, tunable capacitor. A third layer, acoustically coupled to the second layer, includes a third DC-biased, tunable capacitor. Each dielectric of the first, second, and third capacitors has a resonance of about the same frequency, within 5%, and inner electrodes of the first, second, and third capacitors have a resonance of about the same frequency, within 5%. The resonance of each layer is a function of at least thickness, density, and material. The first, second, and third layers are biased to generate destructive acoustic interference, and the multi-layer capacitor is operable at frequencies greater than 0.1 GHz.

Abstract: A variable impedance circuit includes a matching network for coupling to a tunable device, where the matching network has a first port and a second port, where the tunable device is coupled to one of the first port or the second port, and where the matching network has one or more variable dielectric capacitors. The one or more variable dielectric capacitors can be operable to receive a first of one or more variable voltage signals to cause the one or more variable dielectric capacitors to change a first impedance of the matching network. The tunable device can be operable to receive a second of one or more variable voltage signals to cause a change in a second impedance of the tunable device.

Abstract: An impedance matching circuit includes a matching network for coupling to a variable load, where the matching network has a first port and a second port, and where the variable load is coupled to one of the first port or the second port. The matching network can have one or more variable dielectric capacitors, where the one or more variable dielectric capacitors are operable to receive one or more variable voltage signals to cause the one or more variable dielectric capacitors to change an impedance of the matching network, and where the change in the impedance of the matching network causes an increase in power transferred from the first port to the second port or from the second port to the first port.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a process for obtaining a first operational metric for a transmitter of a communication device, determining a range of impedances based on the first operational metric where the range of impedances is associated with an acceptable level of performance for the communication device, obtaining a second operational metric for the transmitter, determining a target impedance within the range of impedances based on the second operational metric, and tuning a first impedance matching network based on the target impedance, where the first impedance matching network is coupled with a first antenna of the communication device, and where the tuning is based on adjusting a first variable component of the first impedance matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.