Patents Examined by Charles Chow
  • Patent number: 7366482
    Abstract: Either linear operating mode or saturation operating mode is set as the operating mode of a high-frequency power amplifier on the basis of an operating mode set signal. The gain of a variable gain amplifier provided in front of the high-frequency power amplifier and values of output voltage and bias current supplied from a supply voltage/bias current control circuit to the high-frequency power amplifier are switched. The gain of the variable gain amplifier in the saturation operating mode is formed so as to be higher by a predetermined value than that in the linear operating mode. Accordingly, the high-frequency power amplifier operates in the designated operating mode, so that the output transmission power range can be widened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hara, Mamoru Arayashiki
  • Patent number: 7363061
    Abstract: When an in-vehicle apparatus receives an information retrieval request from a portable cellular phone along with a phone ID of the cellular phone, a link key is generated in the in-vehicle apparatus based on the phone ID and an apparatus ID of the in-vehicle apparatus. When the link key coincides with a previously generated link key that is associated with information stored in the in-vehicle apparatus, the in-vehicle apparatus permits the cellular phone to retrieve only the associated information, which is stored in the in-vehicle apparatus and is associated with the previously generated link key, so that retrieval of information other than the associated information from the in-vehicle apparatus by the cellular phone is prohibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Tooru Kakehi
  • Patent number: 7362756
    Abstract: A fast handoff method of an Access Router includes receiving and storing at an Access Point a Router Advertisement message periodically sent from the Access Router to which the Access Point is connected, the Access Point being connected to at least one mobile node in wireless manner and supporting services to the at least one mobile node; generating at least one Care-of Address (CoA) at the Access Point, performing Duplicate Address detection, and storing the CoAs for which the Duplicate Address detection is successfully completed; forming, when a new mobile node enters a service-available range of the Access Point, a link to the new mobile node at the Access Point, including any of the stored CoAs in the Router Advertisement message, and sending the Router Advertisement message including the stored CoA to the new mobile node; and communicating the new mobile node to a network using the CoA included in the sent Router Advertisement message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-hyeock Choi, Youn-hee Han, Xiao-ming Wang, Hee-jin Jang
  • Patent number: 7359677
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a stacked die configuration of a high isolation switch and a rejection filter where transmit and receive signals are desired to have a high out-of-band rejection and a low loss band-pass region. In some aspects of the invention the high isolation switch is a double pole double throw switch modified to operate as a high isolation single pole double throw (SPDT) switch. In some aspects of the invention the high isolation switch is a conventional high isolation SPDT switch. The switch is mounted on a low profile rejection filter having metallization on a portion of an outer surface of the rejection filter. The metallization on the outer surface of the rejection filter provides an AC ground layer in close proximity to the switch that provides a short coupling path between the switch and the AC ground. The resulting switch-filter component also results in a smaller footprint than if the two devices were mounted individually and/or adjacently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Sige Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Wen Paul Huang, William Vaillancourt
  • Patent number: 7356324
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a receiver arrangement, for example, in a mobile radio, which allows the use of slowly locking phase locked loops for a point-to-point connection between two transceivers, even in the case of a heterodyne receiver structure. The need to change channels between a transmission slot and a reception slot is avoided by virtue of a changeover device being provided for the purpose of interchanging the in-phase and quadrature components at the input side on a down-conversion frequency mixer. This advantageously allows either the upper sideband or the lower sideband of a useful signal to be down-converted without the need to change channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Markus Hammes, Stefan Van Waasen
  • Patent number: 7356338
    Abstract: A communication device locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a frequency band search schedule. The frequency band search schedule has a first or home band and a several other frequency bands in a predetermined ordered. The order of the frequency bands may be programmed by the user or by a home service provider over the air. The communication device searches for an acceptable service provider by examining the home band and then the other bands listed in the frequency band search schedule. The bands are examined in the order specified by the frequency band search schedule. An acceptable service provider is identified by comparing the identify of a service provider specified by an identifier received from a band being examined with a list of acceptable service providers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Michael D. Bamburak, John J. Daly, Christopher Gregory Lawrence, Michael Edward Prise, Michael Allen Raffel
  • Patent number: 7353010
    Abstract: An automatic gain control (AGC) technique can quickly sense signal size over a large dynamic range by using a peak detector block in the analog portion of the receiver. The peak detector block can compare a received signal to predetermined thresholds (chosen to divide a potential signal range into smaller ranges). Therefore, the peak detector block can assist the automatic gain control (AGC) in quickly sizing the received signal. The AGC technique can also reduce digital filter settling time by simulating a gain change and providing this simulated value to the digital filters of the receiver. DC or spur components can be estimated prior to and after performing an analog gain change and then removed from digital signal samples. The digital signal samples sampled prior to performing the analog gain change can then be rescaled and provided to the digital filter, thereby avoiding discontinuity in a digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Atheros Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Ning Zhang, William J. McFarland
  • Patent number: 7353050
    Abstract: A portable digital communication apparatus including a first housing extending along a longitudinal direction; a second housing which is shorter than the first housing and which is adapted to be opened away from or closed on the first housing through sliding and rotation motions; and a dual-axis hinge device connecting the first and second housings to allow them to be rotated about a first hinge axis, which is provided in the first housing, and a second hinge axis, which is provided in the second housing and which is parallel to the first hinge axis, respectively, the dual-axis hinge device being adapted to be rotated to allow the upper and lower surfaces thereof can be reversed according to the sliding motion of the second housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jung-Hyeok Im, Chang-Soo Lee, In-Gon Park
  • Patent number: 7349439
    Abstract: Systems and methods of ultra-wideband communication are provided. In one ultra-wideband communication method, a communication channel is divided into a plurality of non-overlapping sub-channels by dividing a single serial message intended for an ultra-wideband communication device into a plurality of parallel messages. Each of the plurality of parallel messages are then encoded onto at least some of the plurality of sub-channels, and then transmitted. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Pulse-LINK, Inc.
    Inventor: Ismail Lakkis
  • Patent number: 7343139
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for converting frequencies comprising a local oscillator of fixed frequency and a first mixer with two inputs and an output, a first input receiving the signal to be converted and a second input receiving the signal arising from the local oscillator. It further comprises a second mixer with two inputs and an output, a first input receiving the signal arising from the phase-shifted local oscillator and the second input receiving a dc signal whose value is dependent on the power of the residual spectral component at the output of an adder receiving as input the signals arising from the first and from the second mixer(s) and giving as output a transposed signal. The invention applies in particular in terminals operating in the Ka band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Dominique Lo Hine Tong, Jean-Luc Robert, Jean-Yves Le Naour
  • Patent number: 7343141
    Abstract: An enhanced radio system is disclosed that provides for the capture and playback of one or more radio stations. The user may tune to a station, or scan through stations, rewind to hear what was missed (even while the system is turned off), and fast-forward through undesired content. The system allows a user to rate content, and to be notified when that content is being played on any station. The system may recognize content as it is broadcast and may jump to desirable content, save a copy of desirable content, or skip over undesirable content. The system may make radio station recommendations. The system may support multiple sets of configuration information to allow its use by multiple listeners and in multiple locations. The system allows the authorized user to respond easily to radio content, download and upload audio content, and send radio content to another user. The system may allow a user to download information about content that the user wishes to record a copy of.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Inventors: Michael D. Ellis, Caron S. Ellis
  • Patent number: 7339955
    Abstract: Systems and methods of ultra-wideband communication are provided. In one embodiment, an ultra-wideband communication system divides a stream of data conveying symbols into a plurality of unspread substreams. A common spreading code is generated at the ultra-wideband transmitter, and each of the unspread substreams are spread using the common spreading code to form a plurality of spread substreams. The spread substreams are combined to form a composite signal that is transmitted. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Pulse-LINK, Inc.
    Inventor: Ismail Lakkis
  • Patent number: 7340238
    Abstract: A portable personal communications and cosmetics apparatus (1) comprising a base unit (2) having side walls with cavities (17a-f) therein for receiving removable cosmetics products (18a-f) and a mobile phone unit (3) mounted, e.g. removably, on the base unit (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Mobile Make-Up Limited
    Inventor: Judith Anne Napier-Clark
  • Patent number: 7340233
    Abstract: An integrated circuit may include a receiver and/or a transmitter that performs third order sub-harmonic conversion. The integrated circuit may include a Gilbert cell active mixer with three or more serially-connected transistors in each of the mixer's four branches. Alternatively, the integrated circuit may include a quad-ring passive resistive mixer with three or more serially-connected transistors in each of the mixer's four branches. Alternatively, the integrated circuit may include a logic circuit and a mixer. The logic circuit may apply logic operations to periodic logic signals having a local frequency and to delayed versions thereof to produce reference signals having a dominant spectral component at three times the local frequency. The mixer may mix input signals with the reference signals to produce output signals having a dominant spectral component at three times the local frequency less a center frequency of the input signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Yair Shemesh, Shai Gross, Tzvi Maimon
  • Patent number: 7333789
    Abstract: A broadband modulation PLL includes a PLL portion containing a voltage controlled oscillator (101), a frequency divider (105), a phase comparator (104) and a loop filter (103). A frequency-dividing ratio of the frequency divider (105) is controlled to apply modulation, and also an input voltage of the voltage controlled oscillator (101) is controlled to apply modulation. One of phase modulation data for controlling the frequency dividing ratio and phase modulation data for input voltage of the voltage controlled oscillator (101) is inverted in phase by using an inverter (113), and the delay control circuit (110) detects a timing error on the basis of a signal (133) achieved by adding the output signals (131) and (132) of the filter (106) and the loop filter (103), and the timing is controlled by the delay circuits (111) and (112) to correct, the timing error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, Shunsuke Hirano
  • Patent number: 7330700
    Abstract: When a CQI that is based on CQI update cycle information and a CQI that is based on repetition count information have an overlapping transmission timing, CQI transmission timing controller 110 and CQI transmission timing priority determiner 120 transmit the CQI that is based on the CQI repetition count with priority. As a result, the receiving side is able to secure the combining count of the CQI and prevent deterioration in CQI error rate characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junichi Aizawa
  • Patent number: 7327698
    Abstract: A system for providing high frequency data communications in a satellite-based communications network includes a plurality of communications satellites each having uplink and downlink antennas capable of receiving and transmitting a plurality of signals. Each of said satellites have a communication control circuit. At least one of said satellites is reconfigurable. The reconfigurable satellite has a programmable frequency synthesizer coupled to the communications control circuit. A controller is located on the satellite and is coupled to the communications control circuit. The controller controls a frequency reconfiguration of the communications control circuit through the programmable frequency synthesizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl S. Anselmo
  • Patent number: 7321751
    Abstract: An apparatus for improving dynamic range includes a frequency down-conversion module that receives an input signal and a bias circuit. The bias circuit includes a first resistor and a second resistor. The first resister has a first terminal coupled to a bias point and a second terminal coupled to a first voltage reference. The second resistor has a first terminal coupled to the bias point and a second terminal coupled to a second voltage reference. The bias point is coupled to the input signal. The frequency down-conversion module outputs a down-converted output signal. The bias circuit thereby adjusts a voltage of the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
    Inventors: David F Sorrells, Michael J Bultman, Robert W Cook, Richard C Looke, Charley D Moses, Jr., Gregory S Rawlins, Michael W Rawlins
  • Patent number: 7319849
    Abstract: A system for tuning a radio-frequency signal includes a first input path, a second input path, a common reference generator, a selector, a mixer, and a filter. The first input path and the second input path propagate a first single-ended input signal and a second single-ended input signal, respectively, to the selector. The selector converts the first single-ended input signal and the second single-ended input signal into a first differential input signal and a second differential input signal, respectively, using a reference signal generated by the common reference generator. The selector selectively couples one of the first and the second input path to an input of the mixer. The mixer downconverts a selected on of the differential input signals received from the selector. The filter attenuates a portion of the downconverted input signal outside a passband associated with the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Microtune (Texas), L.P.
    Inventor: Michael D. Womac
  • Patent number: 7315730
    Abstract: An architecture for a receiver front end utilizes a dual output low noise amplifier (102) driving separate, fixed preselectors (104, 106) coupled to a transformer (108) to generate a single ended output (113). A pair of blocks coupled in series provides a dual band output. Additional pairs of blocks (201, 203) can be cascaded in parallel to provide additional frequency bands of operation. The front end architecture of the present invention provides switchless multi-band operation to a communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Ariel L. Galan