Patents Examined by Christian Hannon
  • Patent number: 9214900
    Abstract: Radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) circuitry and a PA envelope power supply are disclosed. The RF PA circuitry receives and amplifies an RF input signal to provide an RF output signal using an envelope power supply signal, which is provided by the PA envelope power supply. The RF PA circuitry operates in either a normal RF spectral emissions mode or a reduced RF spectral emissions mode. When reduced RF spectral emissions are required, the RF PA circuitry operates in the reduced RF spectral emissions mode. As such, at a given RF output power, during the reduced RF spectral emissions mode, RF spectral emissions of the RF output signal are less than during the normal RF spectral emissions mode. As a result, the reduced RF spectral emissions mode may be used to reduce interference between RF communications bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Roman Zbigniew Arkiszewski
  • Patent number: 9160282
    Abstract: Radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) circuitry and a PA envelope power supply are disclosed. The RF PA circuitry receives and amplifies an RF input signal to provide an RF output signal using an envelope power supply signal, which is provided by the PA envelope power supply. The RF PA circuitry operates in either a normal RF spectral emissions mode or a reduced RF spectral emissions mode. When reduced RF spectral emissions are required, the RF PA circuitry operates in the reduced RF spectral emissions mode. As such, at a given RF output power, during the reduced RF spectral emissions mode, RF spectral emissions of the RF output signal are less than during the normal RF spectral emissions mode. As a result, the reduced RF spectral emissions mode may be used to reduce interference between RF communications bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Roman Zbigniew Arkiszewski
  • Patent number: 9137750
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, there is disclosed an apparatus comprising a first transmitter, a second transmitter, and logic coupled to the first transmitter and the second transmitter. The logic is operable to limit a time period the second transmitter is able to transmit while the first transmitter is transmitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John Blosco, Stephen Joseph McCarthy, Corey Metsker
  • Patent number: 9100084
    Abstract: Interference detection involves detecting the interference component in the received signal if there is such a component, controlling a band reject filter according to the detected interference component to filter the received signal to suppress the interference component, and synchronizing the receiver to the received signal, wherein the step of detecting the interference component is started before synchronization is achieved. By starting the interference detection without waiting for synchronization to be achieved, rather than following the synchronization, then the interference detection is no longer dependent on the synchronization being achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: ST-ERICSSON SA
    Inventors: Ajay Kapoor, Maurice Stassen
  • Patent number: 9093960
    Abstract: A transmitter (32) generates a time-varying stabilized bias signal (82) from which sub-RF distortion signals (26, 29) have been cancelled. The distortion signals (26, 29) are byproducts of imperfect amplification and of biasing networks. An envelope amplifier (84) includes a high bandwidth differential input, linear, bias signal amplifier (120) and a low bandwidth switching amplifier (122) coupled together to achieve both a high bandwidth and high efficiency. A control loop (154) feeds a portion of the voltage V(t) from a conduction node (146) of the RF power amplifier (36) to one of the differential inputs of the linear bias signal amplifier (120), while a bias control signal (92) drives the other differential input. The portion of voltage V(t) fed to bias signal amplifier (120) is a low power portion from which the RF portion has been removed. A bias signal (128) may be predistorted to cancel distortion signals (26, 29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: CrestCom, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald Duane McCallister
  • Patent number: 9094087
    Abstract: A multichannel two antenna radio unit device comprising a left very high frequency (VHF) radio and a right VHF radio is provided. The left VHF radio unit comprises a left VHF radio transceiver, the left VHF radio transceiver comprising a left wideband multi-channel receiver configured to receive voice channels and data channels in an aeronautical VHF communication band, the left VHF radio configured to communicate on at least two voice channels and at least one data channel. The right VHF radio comprises a right VHF radio transceiver, the right VHF radio transceiver comprising a right wideband multi-channel receiver configured to receive voice channels and data channels in an aeronautical VHF communication band, the right VHF radio configured to communicate on the at least two voice channels and the at least one data channel, and communicatively coupled to the left VHF radio unit via a bi-directional serial bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Alfonso Malaga
  • Patent number: 9086796
    Abstract: A mobile device enables the performance of an operation, which can be performed with only coarse granularity using a touchscreen, to be performed with finer granularity in response to detection of stimulus via mechanisms other than the touchscreen. For example, the mobile device can use its sensors (e.g., accelerometer, gyroscope, etc.) to detect a tapping motion against a non-touchscreen surface of that mobile device. In response to detecting such physical interaction, the mobile device can perform the operation with a level of precision that cannot be achieved when the performance of the operation is attempted via interaction with the touchscreen. The level of granularity of performance can vary with the interaction's force. For example, a tap performed with lesser force can cause a displayed object to move one pixel, while a tap performed with greater force can cause that displayed object to move five pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Maxim Tsudik
  • Patent number: 9059796
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) noise-cancelling receiver includes first transconductance cells configured to produce respective weighted current signals proportional to an input voltage signal. The RF receiver includes frequency conversion cells coupled to the first transconductance cells and configured to mix the weighted current signals with a plurality of non-overlapping local oscillator (LO) signals to produce downconverted current signals. The RF receiver includes transimpedance amplifiers coupled to the frequency conversion cells and configured to produce output voltage signals proportional to the downconverted current signals. The transimpedance amplifiers include second transconductance cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: David Murphy, Hooman Darabi
  • Patent number: 9048787
    Abstract: Radio Frequency (RF) signal conditioning circuitry, which includes RF detection circuitry and RF attenuation circuitry is disclosed. The RF detection circuitry receives and detects an RF sample signal to provide an RF detection signal. The RF attenuation circuitry has an attenuation circuitry input, and receives and attenuates the RF sample signal via the attenuation circuitry input to provide an attenuated RF signal. The RF attenuation circuitry presents an attenuation circuitry input impedance at the attenuation circuitry input. The attenuated RF signal and the RF detection signal are provided concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Jones, David E. Jones, William David Southcombe, Chris Levesque, Scott Yoder, Terry J. Stockert
  • Patent number: 9042938
    Abstract: A first user equipment (UE) wirelessly communicates with a network element (e.g., an eNB) on a carrier (e.g., a cellular uplink or downlink carrier) in accordance with its first capability partitioning configuration. The first UE engages in direct wireless communication on the carrier with a second UE in accordance its second capability partitioning configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Ajit Nimbalker, Ravi Kuchibhotla, Robert T. Love, Vijay Nangia, Ravikiran Nory
  • Patent number: 9042852
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for adjusting a sensitivity threshold of a wireless communication device (WCD). In an embodiment, a WCD measures both a signal power level of a received signal and a noise power level. The WCD also makes a sensitivity-adjustment determination, which includes (i) a determination that the signal power level is less than a current sensitivity threshold of the receiver of the WCD and (ii) a determination that a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the signal power level to the noise power level is greater than an SNR threshold. Responsive to making the sensitivity-adjustment determination, the WCD adjusts its receiver from having the current sensitivity threshold to having an adjusted sensitivity threshold that is less than or equal to the signal power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventor: Maneesh Gauba
  • Patent number: 9042945
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided that launches a selected application on a User Equipment (UE) such that if the launched application requires a mobile data connection and the UE's modem is in a dormant state, then the UE will transition the UE's modem from the dormant state to an active state and/or establish a mobile data connection while or in parallel with the selected application's initialization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Andew W. Lenart, Steven M. Knapp, Valeriy F. Marchevsky
  • Patent number: 9037106
    Abstract: A circuit for baseband harmonic rejection includes multiple transconductance cells coupled to one another at outputs of the transconductance cells and configured to receive down-converted signals that vary from one another to produce a weighted current signal proportional to a voltage corresponding to a respective down-converted signal. The circuit also includes a feedback impedance coupled between an input of one of the transconductance cells and the outputs of the transconductance cells. Each of the transconductance cells has an effective transconductance of a first magnitude for frequency components of the down-converted signal arising from a first harmonic and an effective transconductance of a second magnitude less than the first magnitude for frequency components of the down-converted signal arising from harmonics at integer multiples of the first harmonic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: David Murphy, Hooman Darabi
  • Patent number: 9037100
    Abstract: A wireless transmitter for resolving gain mismatch of TV band is disclosed. In one embodiment, a wireless transmitter comprises a two-stage 14-path harmonic-rejection mixer to manage harmonic rejection ratio in lower sub-bands, and a two-stage 6-path harmonic-rejection mixer to manage harmonic rejection ratio in upper sub-bands. The gain mismatch is resolved by selecting gain ratios of the first and the second stage of the two-stage 14-path harmonic-rejection mixer and the two-stage 6-path harmonic-rejection mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF MACAU
    Inventors: Ka-Fai Un, Pui-In Mak, Rui Paulo da Silva Martins
  • Patent number: 9031526
    Abstract: A communication device includes a receiver that is capable of canceling in-channel interference. The receiver includes an antenna for receiving a wireless signal comprising in-channel components and an out-of-channel component, wherein the in-channel components comprise a desired component and an in-channel interference component. A first filter of the receiver filters the wireless signal by blocking at least a portion of the out-of-channel component to produce a first signal comprising the in-channel components, and at least a second filter of the receiver filters the wireless signal by blocking at least a portion of the in-channel components to produce a second signal comprising the out-of-channel component. An in-channel interference estimator of the receiver generates an in-channel interference estimation signal based on the second signal. And a combiner of the filter combines the first signal and the second signal to at least partially cancel the in-channel interference component of the first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Spyros Kyperountas, Neiyer S. Correal, Qicai Shi, Charles L. Sobchak
  • Patent number: 9031624
    Abstract: A mobile telephone or cellular telephone unit and a rearview mirror housing of an automobile are combined to provide an improved telephone apparatus that allows for efficient projection of images on a windshield of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Inventor: Brian Ignomirello
  • Patent number: 9014648
    Abstract: A multi-mode receiver is disclosed that is reconfigurable to share a local oscillator signal in diversity mode to save power consumption. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a primary receiver having a primary mixer configured to down-convert a primary signal and a secondary mixer configured to down-convert a secondary signal in carrier aggregation mode. The apparatus also includes a supplemental mixer that uses a shared primary local oscillator (LO) signal generated by a shared primary frequency synthesizer in diversity mode to reduce power consumption. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to disable the secondary mixer and to enable the supplemental mixer to down-convert the secondary signal when operating in the diversity mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Prasad Srinivasa Siva Gudem, Li Liu, Frederic Bossu
  • Patent number: 9008597
    Abstract: A direct current (DC)-DC converter that includes a first switching converter and a multi-stage filter is disclosed. The multi-stage filter includes at least a first inductance (L) capacitance (C) filter and a second LC filter coupled in series between the first switching converter and a DC-DC converter output. The first LC filter has a first LC time constant and the second LC filter has a second LC time constant, which is less than the first LC time constant. The first switching converter and the multi-stage filter form a feedback loop, which is used to regulate the first switching power supply output signal based on the setpoint. The first LC filter includes a first capacitive element having a first self-resonant frequency, which is about equal to a first notch frequency of the multi-stage filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Levesque, William David Southcombe, David E. Jones, Scott Yoder, Terry J. Stockert
  • Patent number: 8995944
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) switch adapted to reduce third order intermodulation (IM3) products generated as RF signals propagate through the RF switch is disclosed. The RF switch includes N semiconductor switch segments, and N?1 phase shift networks, individual ones of the N?1 phase shift networks being coupled between adjacent ones of the N semiconductor switch segments where N is a natural number greater than 1. In operation, when the RF switch is on, IM3 products generated by the RF switch propagating through the N?1 phase shift networks are phase shifted such that the IM3 products are at least partially canceled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Joshua J. Caron
  • Patent number: 8989685
    Abstract: Circuitry, which includes multi-mode multi-band radio frequency (RF) power amplification circuitry, power amplifier (PA) control circuitry, and a PA-digital communications interface (DCI) is disclosed according to one embodiment of the circuitry. The PA control circuitry is coupled between the amplification circuitry and the PA-DCI, which is coupled to a digital communications bus, and configures the amplification circuitry. The amplification circuitry includes at least a first RF input and multiple RF outputs, such that at least some of the RF outputs are associated with multiple communications modes and at least some of the RF outputs are associated with multiple frequency bands. Configuration of the amplification circuitry associates one RF input with one RF output, and is correlated with configuration information defined by at least a first defined parameter set. The PA control circuitry stores at least a first look-up table (LUT), which provides the configuration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: William David Southcombe, David E. Jones, Chris Levesque, Scott Yoder, Terry J. Stockert