Patents Examined by Joy K. Contee
  • Patent number: 6480723
    Abstract: A communications interface adapter facilitates both wired and wireless communications between crew members of a vehicle having a wired intercom and has an intercom communications circuit having an input/output port for providing electrical communication between the interface adapter and the wired intercom and also has a fixed radio transceiver. The fixed radio transceiver comprises a receive circuit for receiving radio communications and for communicating the received radio communications via the intercom communications circuit to the wired intercom of the vehicle and a transmit circuit for transmitting communications received via the intercom communication circuit from the wired intercom of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Frederic Davidson, Daniel Gerard Maglaya, Donald A. Sofia, Stuart John Collar, Jeffrey Jay Stone
  • Patent number: 6477385
    Abstract: In a mobile communication system comprising: a plurality of first base stations each having a predetermined radio zone, for performing communication with one or more mobile stations; a plurality of second base stations each having a predetermined radio zone and each having a predetermined synchronous area, for performing communication with one or more mobile stations and, in addition, giving a synchronous standard to the plurality of first base stations with the radio zones being in contact with or overlapped with each other within the synchronous area; and an absolute synchronous station for giving a synchronous standard to each of the plurality of second base stations, the second base stations each control the timing of a control channel signal transmitted to the other second base stations based on the timing of a control channel signal transmitted by the absolute synchronous station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yutaka Hara
  • Patent number: 6477390
    Abstract: A wireless communication device (101) having intuitive audio keypad navigation features is provided. Each of the keys (140-151) of a keypad (132) of the wireless communication device (101) is assigned a different audible signal (FIGS. 3-4). When a user of the wireless communication device (101) presses one of the keys (140-151), a processor (112) responds by triggering an output driver (124). The output driver (124) generates a unique output signal corresponding to the pressed key (140-151). A speaker (122) or alert circuit (126) is responsive to the triggering of the output driver (124) to generate a unique audible signal (FIGS. 3-4) associated with the unique output signal of the pressed key (140-151). In this manner, an audio feedback is provided to the user that uniquely identifies each of the keys (140-151) as they are pressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Qualcomm, Incorporated
    Inventors: Arnold J. Gum, Jason B. Kenagy
  • Patent number: 6477387
    Abstract: A display-based terminal (101) employs a method and apparatus for dynamically grouping (719, 723, 819, 823) communication units in a communication system. The terminal displays a map (703, 803) to the terminal user that indicates locations of communication units in at least a portion of the communication system. The terminal receives (705, 805) an indication of a geographic area on the map. After the area has been indicated and the talkgroup identified, the terminal automatically groups (719, 723, 819, 823) communication units that are in or have entered the selected area into the identified talkgroup. If a regrouped unit exits the selected area, the terminal automatically removes the exiting unit from the talkgroup. The terminal user may further input criteria to limit which units entering and leaving the indicated area are actually grouped or ungrouped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett A. Jackson, Arthur L. Fumarolo
  • Patent number: 6466778
    Abstract: Communication patterns over a network can be monitored by initially associating a mark with one or more entities in the communication network. Communications between each marked entity and at least one further entity can then be detected and a mark can be associated with each entity that communicates with each marked entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: British Telecommunications public limited company
    Inventor: Alexander F M Edwards
  • Patent number: 6466769
    Abstract: A key pressing device is formed of an elastic member in a generally L-shape, and an engagement claw is formed on a bottom wall portion of the elastic member, and a hinge is formed on upstanding leg portions of the elastic member, and a key button is formed on the hinge. A case to which the key pressing device it mounted, includes an engagement portion for receiving the engagement claw of the key pressing device, mounting base portions and stoppers, and a hole for receiving the key button. The engagement claw of the key pressing device is brought into engagement in the engagement portion on the case while inserting the key button into the hole, thereby effecting a mounting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Kanta Judai
  • Patent number: 6466765
    Abstract: A portable recorder which is carried by a sample subject for a radio listener rating survey has a display unit and an input unit mounted on the front of a case and a processor built in the case. The processor comprises a data memory, data entry support means, data recording means, and a data readout means. The data entry support means displays the current date and time, a tuned station candidate and a place-of-listening candidate on the display unit, thereby supporting a user in his entering the listening start date and time, the name of the tuned station, the place of listening and the listening stop date and time via the input unit when he listened to a radio program at home or outdoors. The data recording means electronically records the radio listening status data containing values of respective items entered under the support of the data entry support means and finally determined by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: K.K. Video Research
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tanaka, Tatuo Asakura
  • Patent number: 6466794
    Abstract: The use of frequencies can be made more efficient in a mobile communications system with frequency hopping and a method of discontinuous transmission. However, continuous transmission calls unsuitable for discontinuous transmission will hereby cause excessive interference in the network. This invention concerns a channel allocation method in a mobile communications system where some radio connections are implemented with a discontinuous transmission function. The method identifies continuous transmission calls for which according to the invention a fixed-frequency traffic channel defined as a continuous transmission traffic channel is allocated. In addition, the invention concerns an arrangement for allocation of a traffic channel in a mobile communications system where some radio connections are implemented with a discontinuous transmission function. The arrangement is adapted to identify continuous transmission calls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy
    Inventors: Harri Posti, Jukka Peltola
  • Patent number: 6453179
    Abstract: A radiophone comprises a user interface and a controller unit connected to the user interface. The user interface i.e. comprises a display and a keypad having at least one operation key whose function is controlled by the controller nut and is displayed in a predetermined area of the display. The function of said at last one operation key is displayed in a predetermined area of the display. The radiophone is capable of assuming a plurality of states in which a group of predetermined actions associated with the state concerned may be performed by said at least one operation key. The controller unit displays one of said group of actions as a default function in the predetermined area of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd.
    Inventor: Flemming Klovborg Larsen
  • Patent number: 6453152
    Abstract: A method for measuring a base station's performance in a mobile communication system. In the method a base station's performance is measured directly by a measurement apparatus without a base station controller. An apparatus for measuring a base station's performance is also provided, and has a measurement apparatus having a port for an exterior communication and a program for performing a measurement function, an interface module connected to said port and a base station's exterior communication port, for checking and controlling the status of a mobile communication base station via said measurement apparatus and an apparatus for transmitting an output signal of said base station to said measurement apparatus, preferably by wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-tae Hong, Soo-yeul Oh
  • Patent number: 6445910
    Abstract: A radio diversity method in which a first received signal is received by a first antenna and a second received signal is received by a second antenna. The first received signal and the second received signal are converted from an analog format to a digital format. Digital signal values are in each case detected, with quality levels being defined in each case for the digital signal values. An evaluation device evaluates the quality levels and, depending on the evaluation result, passes on only portions of the digital signal values for subsequent combination. This reduces the data rate that needs to be transmitted, for example, during a soft hand over.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Stefan Oestreich
  • Patent number: 6442407
    Abstract: The invention discloses a mobile radio telephone set including at least one control processor and at least one signal processor which are at least occasionally not in an active mode. To reduce the energy consumption of the mobile radio telephone set in the simplest manner possible, a control unit selects operating modes at least for the control processor and/or the signal processor. By utilizing a separate control unit, more particularly two or more coupled processors or other switching units of the whole mobile radio telephone set may be controlled independently. Each coupled unit may at once individually be set to its own operating mode to operate only the currently necessary units in this manner and reduce the energy consumption in this manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Harald Bauer, Andreas Bening, Peter Kempf
  • Patent number: 6442383
    Abstract: A demodulator for use with a digital wireless communication system is disclosed, that comprises a DC offset controller for removing a DC offset of a modulated signal that is input to the demodulator, a complex multiplying unit for complex-multiplying an output signal of the DC offset controller, a phase detector for detecting an amplitude error signal and a phase error signal from an output signal of the complex multiplying unit, an LPF (low pass filter) for outputting a low band component of the phase error signal, and an NCO (numerical controlled oscillator) for converting an output signal of the LPF into a sin component and a cos component that have orthogonal relation, wherein the sin component and the cos component are input to the complex multiplying unit, and wherein the amplitude error signal, the sin component, and the cos component are input to the DC offset controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Takaya Iemura
  • Patent number: 6438360
    Abstract: An amplifier system to increase the efficiency of amplification systems that employ linear modulation schemes. The amplifier system has a signal amplifier for receiving a constant amplitude input signal and producing an amplified version of the input signal. A variable impedance network presents various impedances to an output of the signal amplifier responsive to a load control signal. An envelope mapping circuit coupled to the variable impedance network produces the load control signal responsive to a desired amplitude modulation (AM) envelope. The various impedances causes the desired AM envelope to be impressed upon the amplified version of the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: William P. Alberth, Jr., Armin Klomsdorf, Luke Winkelmann
  • Patent number: 6433667
    Abstract: In a pager, two battery negative terminals are provided which are connected to an air battery (1). One (1b) of the battery negative terminals is connected to ground (GND), while the other (1c) is connected through a resistor (6) to the external power source positive terminal of an external terminal (3). When the air battery (1) is mounted thereon, the battery negative terminals (1b and 1c) are electrically connected to each other (short-circuiting). In this case, even if the external power source is applied through the external terminal (3) with the air battery (1) mounted thereon, the current of the external power source flows through the resistor (6) to the ground (GND). This feature prevents the air battery (1) from being charged by the external power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Isomichi
  • Patent number: 6434376
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing average idle current in a telecommunications system handset by decreasing the power when demodulation of the incoming signal and decoding of FOCC data stream is unnecessary is provided. The system and method supplant the need to decode all five repeated FOCC data words. The system performs various testing on each of the five data words as they are received. If the data words satisfy particular conditions, such as comprising control filler words or match one another based on the result of testing, no further processing of words occurs until the next sync is received and sleep mode is initiated. According to a further feature, the system may erase the sync/dotting sequence if and only if the prior sync word is successfully decoded. The system and method support both A and B slotting and power down components of the handset, such as RF circuitry and/or data sync timers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter J. Black
  • Patent number: 6434393
    Abstract: The claimed invention relates to a radio telecommunications system using channels with high penetration capacity. When a user terminal enters a shadowed area, the user terminal starts listening to a paging channel allocated for transmission of a high-penetration paging message. The subscriber thereby remains with reach of teleservices not otherwise provided for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy
    Inventor: Heikki Einola
  • Patent number: 6430408
    Abstract: A communications system having an antenna and at least one mobile unit in communications with the antenna. A price that a mobile unit will pay to receive an enhanced communications service is established. The antenna provides the enhanced communication service to the mobile unit paying the price.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Jheroen Pieter Dorenbosch
  • Patent number: 6405033
    Abstract: A communication system includes mobile units, a network switching center, and service centers to provide a variety of traditional and enhanced services to the mobile units. Using a user interface, an operator of a mobile unit issues a request for services from one or more service centers. The network switching center receives the request for services and, in response, accesses a profile table to select an appropriate service center to establish a communication session with the mobile unit. The selected service center provides enhanced services to the mobile unit to satisfy the service request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Track Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Kennedy, III, Dale E. Beasley, Terry S. Parker, Thomas D. Russell, William C. Saunders
  • Patent number: 6397049
    Abstract: A two-way radio (1) that has a radio frequency receiver (2) having a modulated radio frequency signal output and a variable bandwidth filter (3) with an input coupled to the modulated radio frequency signal output. The radio (1) also has demodulator circuitry (4), a speaker (6) and processing circuitry (5). In use when the radio (1) is operating in squelch mode, the processing circuitry (5) controls the variable bandwidth filter (3) to have a first bandwidth and when in unsquelch mode the processing circuitry (5) controls the variable bandwidth filter (3) to have a second bandwidth which has a smaller frequency range and the first bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Siew Yin Lee, Chow Loong Cheah