Patents Examined by James Clinger
  • Patent number: 6593896
    Abstract: An E-field probe comprises one or more dipoles, each comprising plural, parallel, strings of discrete resistors mounted on a section of printed circuit board and connected electrically so that the parallel strings are twisted about each other for optimum orientation symmetry and minimum stray field pick-up. The values of the individual resistors are chosen so that the dipole is essentially a tapered resistance dipole, providing good performance over a very broad range of frequencies. A pair of diodes connected respectively in parallel strings of one arm of the dipole allows the feeder to be constituted by a pair of parallel series of resistors of comparatively high resistance value continuing from the outer end of the arm in which the diodes are situated. The dipole is effectively “end fed” rather then center fed, and pattern distortion and axial asymmetry are minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Amplifier Research Corporation
    Inventor: Jerome Choder
  • Patent number: 6590546
    Abstract: An antenna control system enabling the remote variation of antenna beam tilt. A drive means continuously adjusts phase shifters of a feed distribution network to radiating elements to continuously vary antenna beam tilt. A controller enables the beam tilt of a number of antenna at a site to be remotely varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Andrew Corporation
    Inventors: William Emil Heinz, Mathias Martin Ernest Ehlen
  • Patent number: 6590345
    Abstract: In a low voltage operation method of a PDP (plasma display panel) and an apparatus thereof capable of maintaining a picture quality and operation efficiency although a minimum operation voltage is applied to a PDP, the low voltage operation method of the plasma display panel includes operating one frame by dividing it into several sub-fields in order to obtain a gray level of a PDP, dividing the sub-field into a reset period, an address period, a sustain period and supplying a ramp waveform in the reset period, and applying a DC biasing voltage in order to reduce wall electric charge discharged in descending of the ramp waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dae Jin Myoung, Jun Yeong Yoo, Byoung Kuk Min
  • Patent number: 6583581
    Abstract: An organic LED (OLED) display device and an operating method of driving the same. In an OLED image display device, one switch transistor is provided in one pixel. For at least a part of an OFF period of time of the switch transistor, the OLED is in the non-light emission state, and also the bias of the polarity reverse to that in the light emission is applied to the OLED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kaneko, Takayuki Ouchi, Nobuaki Kabuto, Toshihiro Sato
  • Patent number: 6583585
    Abstract: In a lighting circuit, a lighting control circuit of a discharge lamp and a starting circuit for supplying a starting pulse to the discharge lamp are provided and also, electric power and the starting pulse are supplied through a socket connected to the discharge lamp. The starting circuit provided within the socket has a transformer, a capacitor connected to a primary winding of the transformer and a self-breakdown type switch element. It is constructed so that a feeding path to the capacitor is formed to charge the capacitor only when the discharge lamp is connected to the socket and a connection between a first terminal and a third terminal is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Takeda, Toru Nakayama, Masayasu Ito
  • Patent number: 6583763
    Abstract: A distributed antenna array includes a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of power amplifiers, each power amplifier being operatively coupled with one of the antenna elements and mounted closely adjacent to the associated antenna element, such that no appreciable power loss occurs between the power amplifier and the associated antenna element. Each power amplifier is a relatively low power, relatively low cost per watt linear power amplifier chip. The antenna array may be used in various installations, including cellular, PCS, MMDS, LMDS and in-building communication systems such as LANS or WLANS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Andrew Corporation
    Inventor: Mano D. Judd
  • Patent number: 6570543
    Abstract: A direction-finding antenna that conforms to flat and semi-flat surfaces is disclosed. It has a low profile in comparison to most existing direction-finding antennas and its surfaces are shaped so that reduced radar reflections and reduced radar cross sections of the antenna assembly are achieved. The antenna assembly has direction-finding characteristics that are essentially equivalent to traditional antennas that have high profiles and that are mounted high and away from external surfaces of platforms for unobstructed views of arriving electromagnetic energy and away from reflected electromagnetic waves and reradiators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Ruell F. Solberg, Jr., Steven P. Saulnier, C. Nils Smith, William G. Guion
  • Patent number: 6570539
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of detecting relative vibration between an AUT and a probe during any type of near-field testing. The method also provides the means to measure and compensate for any data inaccuracies/errors created by relative vibration while requiring no additional hardware other than that normally utilized in conducting a near-field test. In contrast to the standard process of collecting data only at a series of discrete points, data is collected regularly as the probe moves with a constant velocity across its measurement plane or virtual surface. Due to the constant collection of data, each principle data point is accompanied by a series of leading and trailing secondary data points. While the principle data points are, as in a standard near-field test, transformed by a computer to determine the AUT's far-field pattern (or to identify malfunctioning antenna elements), analysis of the secondary data points reveals any relative vibration between the AUT and the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Snow, William Slowey
  • Patent number: 6567055
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a balanced feed from an unbalanced feed, which uses a pair of vertically aligned microstrip traces on opposing sides of a printed circuit board to act as a balun and an antenna array using a collinear dipole array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen M. Oglesby
  • Patent number: 6563468
    Abstract: An omni-directional antenna assembly is provided for wireless communications devices requiring multiple polarization characteristics. An antenna assembly for a communications device operating at a predetermined wavelength and having a transceiver circuit including a signal output and a ground plane, the antenna assembly including a conductive planar element disposed away from the ground plane and a conductive leg member coupled to the planar element proximate a perimeter, the planar element being disposed a distance away from the ground plane of the communications device to define a region capable of receiving one or more components associated with the wireless communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Logistics AG
    Inventors: Robert Hill, Mathew H. Commens, Greg Johnson
  • Patent number: 6559803
    Abstract: Disclosed is a portable communication terminal having an antenna structure capable of achieving a reduction in specific absorption rate (SAR) without preventing earth current from flowing through a PCB of the terminal. A sleeve antenna is arranged opposite to a speaker mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB) in the body of the terminal. The sleeve antenna includes an antenna element formed on an antenna PCB, and a dielectric sleeve. The sleeve antenna is connected to a transmitting/receiving circuit via a coaxial cable. The dielectric sleeve is mounted to a tip of the coaxial cable. The coaxial cable has an outer conductor connected to the inner peripheral conductor of the dielectric sleeve, and a central conductor connected to the feeding point of the antenna element. In accordance with this configuration, there is no antenna current flowing through the PCB. The PCB also serves as an electromagnetic shield plate. Accordingly, a reduction in SAR is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignees: Samsung Yokohama Research Institute, Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Haruyama Shinichi
  • Patent number: 6559801
    Abstract: An antenna for use with a cellular telephone includes a conductive wire having a binder disposed thereover. The conductive wire may be entirely shaped in the form of a coil or only partially shaped like a coil. The binder is preferably a polymeric material which is clear and transparent. The binder includes a quartz crystal powder, reflective flecks such as mylar, and a fluorescent dye dispersed therein. The binder is applied over the conductive wire and reduces emissions of electromagnetic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Inventor: Lisa Davis
  • Patent number: 6559606
    Abstract: A lamp driving system that includes a first impedance and a second impedance coupled to the secondary side of a transformer, where the second impedance has a phase shifted value compared to the first impedance. Two lamp loads are connected in series together, and in parallel to the first and second impedances and to the transformer. The phase shift between the impedances ensures that the transformer need not supply double the striking voltage to strike the series-connected lamps. A difference in the resistance between the first and second impedances ensures that the lamps ignite in a specified sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: O2Micro International Limited
    Inventors: John Chou, Arnel Dela Cruz
  • Patent number: 6552694
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with an antenna including one or more antenna units for sending and receiving signals and a semiconductor element electrically connected to the antenna units, wherein the antenna units are formed by pressing or etching a thin metal sheet with substantially the same flat surface size as the semiconductor element, and the antenna units are integrally coupled to the surface of the semicondcutor element. The antenna units are formed in a plurality of layers separated by insulating layers, and the antenna units formed on the respective layers are connected electrically in series with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries Co., LTD
    Inventors: Tomoharu Fujii, Shigeru Okamura, Tsutomu Higuchi, Masatoshi Akagawa
  • Patent number: 6552499
    Abstract: A high-pressure gas discharge lamp (HID or UHP lamp, or in general lamps with mercury fillings of between approximately 0.05 and 0.5 mg/mm3) is described with at least one electrode (7, 8) which is provided with a thickened, for example globular portion (9, 10) at its end lying inside a lamp vessel (2). This portion is so dimensioned in dependence on operational parameters of the lamp and/or the diameter of the electrode rod that an electrode tip (19) forms itself independently at said portion during the first hours of operation. This tip grows from the portion until its free end starts melting. The electrode tip is self-adjusting in this manner, so that an optimum electrode interspacing is maintained throughout lamp life. Furthermore, a method of manufacturing such a lamp is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Guenther Hans Derra, Hanns Ernst Fischer, Dieter Leers, Holger Moench
  • Patent number: 6549177
    Abstract: In an antenna unit (10) comprising a circuit board (11) having a principal surface (11a) and a back surface (11b) and an antenna element (12) mounted on the principal surface of the circuit board, a helical antenna having an axial direction extending in substantially parallel with the principal surface is used ad the antenna element (12). A shield cover (13) is added to the circuit board at the back surface (11b) so as to cover circuit elements (17) and shields the circuit elements arranged on the back surface of the circuit board. An output cable (14) is connected to the circuit elements inside the shield cover and is pulled out of the shield cover. The circuit elements include a low-noise amplifier (LNA) circuit (172).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Noro, Akemi Kato
  • Patent number: 6548963
    Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit for operating a high-pressure discharge lamp, which circuit is provided with means for operating the connected lamp in a dimmed state by means of a dimming signal Ds. The circuit is provided with: input terminals for connecting the circuit to a power supply source, output terminals for connecting the lamp to be operated, a switch-mode power supply (smps) having a converter provided with a semiconductor switch for generating a converter output voltage across buffer capacitor means, and a control circuit for generating a control signal in dependence on the dimming signal Ds for controlling the semiconductor switch. According to the invention, the circuit is further provided with means for generating a converter output voltage-related signal Lvs for monitoring stable lamp operation by limiting the dimmed state by means of the control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Dolf Henricus Jozef Van Casteren, Oscar Jan Deurloo
  • Patent number: 6545641
    Abstract: A patch antenna with at least one patch resonator (10, 20) for the microwave range is described, which antenna is in particular suitable for an embodiment as a multilayer antenna with short-circuit conductor (14, 24) and for SMD mounting on a printed circuit board. The antenna furthermore has a bandwidth sufficient for use in mobile telecommunication also when substrates (11, 21) having the same dielectric or permeability value are used. This is achieved essentially in that the feed terminal comprises at least a first metallization piece (17) which extends on a first side face (112) of the resonator between the ground metallization (12) and the pattern (13) of metal patches, while the input impedance of the antenna is adjustable through a change in the dimensions of this metallization piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Indra Ghosh, Rebekka Porath
  • Patent number: 6545648
    Abstract: An antenna system for receiving horizontal and vertical components of a transmitted horizontally polarized digital RF signal. The system includes a vertical antenna for primarily receiving vertical components of the RF signal and a horizontal antenna primarily for receiving the horizontal components of the RF signal. An adjustable time delay changer is provided for adjusting any time delay of one of the components. A combiner combines the components to obtain therefrom a combined RF signal for application to an RF utilization means. The combined RF signal is a digital signal exhibiting a bit error rate dependent upon the value of the vertical component. An RF decoder decodes the bit error rate and provides a bit error rate signal having a value that varies as a function of the value of the bit error rate. An adaptive controller responds to the bit error rate signal and adjusts the time delay changer in a direction to decrease the value of said bit error rate signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Plonka
  • Patent number: 6545645
    Abstract: A multi-pattern reflector antenna for generating first and second antenna patterns from first and second RF signals having first and second frequencies of operation respectively. The antenna includes a reflector having a focal point, first and second subreflectors configured to image the focal point at first and second preselected locations respectively; and, first and second feeds positioned at the first and second preselected locations. The first and second feeds are configured to operate at the first and second frequencies of operation respectively and are operative to generate first and second radiated RF signals from the first and second RF signals respectively. The first and second subreflectors partially overlap each other with the first subreflector configured to be a frequency selective structure which reflects RF signals having the first frequency of operation and passes RF signals having the second frequency of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventor: Te-Kao Wu