Patents Assigned to Research In Motion RF, Inc
  • Publication number: 20140216921
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which a selection is made for a first major constituent, a second major constituent and a minor constituent for forming a desired material. The method can include mixing the first major constituent, the second major constituent and the minor constituent in a single mixing step to provide a mixture of constituents. The method can include drying the mixture of constituents to provide a dried mixture of constituents and calcining the dried mixture of constituents to provide a calcinated mixture of constituents. The method can include processing the calcinated mixture of constituents to provide a powder of constituents. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventors: Marina Zelner, Andrew Vladimir-Claude Cervin
  • Publication number: 20140177686
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, determining, by a controller of a mobile communication device, a phase shift criteria and an amplitude shift criteria associated with a modulation being implemented by the mobile communication device. The controller can determine a group of tuning steps that satisfies the phase and amplitude shift criteria and that provides a desired tuning step for a matching network of the mobile communication device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Greene, Carsten Hoirup, Keith Manssen
  • Publication number: 20140024321
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a controller that determines a radiated throughput for at least one of an uplink throughput or a downlink throughput of the communication device, reduces transmit power for the communication device responsive to the radiated throughput satisfying a throughput threshold, and tunes a matching network of the communication device responsive to the radiated throughput not satisfying the throughput threshold. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicants: Research In Motion RF, Inc., Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, Joseph D. Caci, Keith Ronald Manssen
  • Publication number: 20130241664
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure can include, for example, an apparatus having a matching network adapted to reduce a magnitude of a signal reflection at a port of the matching network. The matching network can have one or more controllable variable reactive elements. A controller can be adapted to determine reflection coefficient information from incident and reflected waves sampled at the port of the matching network, and follow at least one cycle of a coarse tune process for generating one or more control signals to tune one or more reactances of the one or more controllable variable reactive elements. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventors: William E. McKinzie, III, Heinz Bachmann, Greg Mendolia
  • Publication number: 20130241036
    Abstract: An electronic component is provided on a substrate. A thin-film capacitor is attached to the substrate, the thin-film capacitor includes a pyrochlore or perovskite dielectric layer between a plurality of electrode layers, the electrode layers being formed from a conductive thin-film material. A reactive barrier layer is deposited over the thin-film capacitor. The reactive barrier layer includes an oxide having an element with more than one valence state, wherein the element with more than one valence state has a molar ratio of the molar amount of the element that is in its highest valence state to its total molar amount in the barrier of 50% to 100%. Optionally layers of other materials may intervene between the capacitor and reactive barrier layer. The reactive barrier layer may be paraelectric and the electronic component may be a tunable capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventors: Marina Zelner, Paul Bun Cheuk Woo, Mircea Capanu, Susan C. Nagy, Andrew Vladimir Claude Cervin
  • Publication number: 20130187727
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
    Inventor: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130169493
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a variable impedance circuit including an antenna having a tunable component. The tunable component can be operable to receive a variable signal to cause the tunable component to change an impedance of the antenna. The tunable component can include a first conductor coupled to the antenna, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor, where at least one of the first conductor or the second conductor, or both are adapted to receive the variable signal to cause the change in the impedance of the antenna. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventor: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8472888
    Abstract: A system that incorporates the present disclosure may include, for example, a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions to perform actual measurements of one or more performance parameters of a communication device according to a subset of tuning states of a tunable matching network operable in a communication device, determine estimated measurements of the one or more performance parameters of the communication device for a portion of the tuning states not included in the subset of tuning states according to the actual measurements, identify a data set for each of the one or more performance parameters from at least portions of the tuning states and the actual and estimated measurements, and determine from at least a portion of the data sets one or more tuning states that achieve at least one desirable performance characteristic of the communication device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith R. Manssen, Dan Boire, Matthew R. Greene
  • Patent number: 8467169
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method to reduce acoustic vibration in a multilayered capacitor stimulated by a radio frequency signal by placing a first capacitor layer adjacent to second capacitor layer sharing a common electrode such that the acoustic vibration is reduced by applying one or more anti-acoustic vibration bias voltages to the multilayered capacitor. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventors: James Oakes, James Martin, Andrey Kozyrev, Alexandr Prudan
  • Publication number: 20130147681
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
    Inventor: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
  • Patent number: 8461637
    Abstract: An electronic component is provided on a substrate. A thin-film capacitor is attached to the substrate, the thin-film capacitor includes a pyrochlore or perovskite dielectric layer between a plurality of electrode layers, the electrode layers being formed from a conductive thin-film material. A reactive barrier layer is deposited over the thin-film capacitor. The reactive barrier layer includes an oxide having an element with more than one valence state, wherein the element with more than one valence state has a molar ratio of the molar amount of the element that is in its highest valence state to its total molar amount in the barrier of 50% to 100%. Optionally layers of other materials may intervene between the capacitor and reactive barrier layer. The reactive barrier layer may be paraelectric and the electronic component may be a tunable capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventors: Marina Zelner, Paul Bun Cheuk Woo, Cervin-Lawry Andrew, Susan C. Nagy, Miroea Capanu
  • Patent number: 8463218
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure can include, for example, an apparatus having a matching network adapted to reduce a magnitude of a signal reflection at a port of the matching network. The matching network can have one or more controllable variable reactive elements. A controller can be adapted to determine reflection coefficient information from incident and reflected waves sampled at the port of the matching network, and follow at least one cycle of a coarse tune process for generating one or more control signals to tune one or more reactances of the one or more controllable variable reactive elements. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventors: William E. McKinzie, III, Heinz Bachmann, Greg Mendolia
  • Patent number: 8457569
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventor: Guillaume Blin
  • Publication number: 20130134799
    Abstract: An embodiment of a tunable capacitor can include a plurality of capacitors connected in series where at least two capacitors of the plurality of capacitors share a common electrode where the at least two capacitors are in lateral proximity and a bias that is capable of being applied to the at least two capacitors whereby the at least two capacitors vibrate in opposite phase to each other when the bias and an RF signal is applied to the at least two capacitors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
    Inventor: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130127561
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an impedance matching circuit including a matching network. The matching network includes a first port and a second port, and one or more variable reactance components. The one or more variable reactance components are operable to receive one or more variable voltage signals to cause the one or more variable reactance components to change an impedance of the matching network. At least one of the one or more variable reactance components includes a first conductor coupled to one of the first port or the second port of the matching network, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor. Additionally, at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor are adapted to receive the one or more variable voltage signals to cause the change in the impedance of the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
    Inventor: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130105436
    Abstract: An electronic component is provided on a substrate. A thin-film capacitor is attached to the substrate, the thin-film capacitor includes a pyrochlore or perovskite dielectric layer between a plurality of electrode layers, the electrode layers being formed from a conductive thin-film material. A reactive barrier layer is deposited over the thin-film capacitor. The reactive barrier layer includes an oxide having an element with more than one valence state, wherein the element with more than one valence state has a molar ratio of the molar amount of the element that is in its highest valence state to its total molar amount in the barrier of 50% to 100%. Optionally layers of other materials may intervene between the capacitor and reactive barrier layer. The reactive barrier layer may be paraelectric and the electronic component may be a tunable capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
    Inventor: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
  • Patent number: 8432234
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a matching network for a communication device having first and second antennas, where the matching network includes a first variable component connectable and a detector. The first variable component can be connectable along a first path between the first antenna and a front end module of the communication device, where the first antenna is configured for transmit and receive operation. The detector can be connectable along a second path between the second antenna and the front end module of the communication device, where the detector obtains an RF voltage associated with the second path, where the second antenna is configured for a diversity receive operation, and where the first variable component is adjusted based on the detected RF voltage to tune the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith R. Manssen, Matthew R. Greene, Duane Rabe
  • Patent number: 8428523
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes computer instructions to determine a translation function based on a transmit frequency of a transmit mode and a receive frequency of a receive mode of a transceiver for a communication device, and adjust a variable reactance component of an impedance matching circuit for the receive mode based on the translation function, where the impedance matching circuit is operably coupled with an antenna of the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew Greene
  • Publication number: 20130095765
    Abstract: A system can obtain an operational metric associated with the transceiver, determine a target figure of merit based on a compromise between a desired transmitter performance and a desired receiver, determine a current figure of merit based on the operational metric, and adjust the variable reactance component of the impedance matching circuit based on a comparison of the current figure of merit with the target figure of merit. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
    Inventor: RESEARCH IN MOTION RF, INC.
  • Patent number: 8421548
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Spears, Wayne E. Smith, Chenggang Sui, Yongfei Zhu