Patents Examined by Reinhard Eisenzopf
  • Patent number: 6314283
    Abstract: A cellular phone subsidy lock which ensures that a cellular phone, sold to an end-user at a price subsidized by a cellular carrier, is activated only on the subsidizing carrier's network, and not on a competitor's network. A secure carrier code, specific to and known by the subsidizing carrier, is programed into the cellular phone by the phone manufacturer. The phone is programmed and shipped by the manufacturer in a locked condition, which prevents programming of the NAM (Number Assignment Module) of the cellular phone without first entering either a valid unlock code or a valid remove lock code. At the time of phone activation and programming of the NAM, the phone's ESN (Electronic Serial Number) is entered into the carrier computer system, which utilizes the ESN and carrier code to execute a subsidy lock algorithm which outputs an unlock code and a remove lock code. At the carrier's choice, either code is given to the end user to be entered into the phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: NEC America, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald L. Fielden
  • Patent number: 6314269
    Abstract: An earth station receives a return signal via more than one satellite link from a mobile terminal using TDMA. The earth station selects one or more of the satellite links for transmitting a forward signal on the basis of the quality of signal received via each link. The earth section allocates frequency channels to the mobile terminals according to their location on the surface of the earth, so that the propagation time to and from those mobile terminals which share the same frequency channel is approximately the same. The satellite includes an antenna which generates an array of beams which are individually pointed to fixed regions of the earth, until the elevation of the satellite relative to a fixed region falls below a minimum value, in which case the corresponding beam is redirected to a new area, while the other beams remain pointed at the corresponding fixed areas. In this way, beam-to-beam handover is reduced, while maintaining the boresight of the antenna pointing at the nadir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: International Mobile Satelitte Organization
    Inventors: Nicholas Hart, Gunnar Bjornstrom
  • Patent number: 6266544
    Abstract: An adapter in which a portable telephone having a socket including terminals connected to electric terminals therein is receivable includes an adapter body having a concave portion in which the portable telephone is receivable, a connector provided in the adapter body so as to be exposed to the concave portion, the connector having terminals connected to predetermined electric units including at least an antenna, the connector being connectable the socket of the portable telephone, and a clamping mechanism for clamping the portable telephone received in the concave portion of the adapter body in a state where the connector is connected to the socket of the portable telephone so that the terminals of the connector are in contact with the terminals of the socket of the portable telephone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Masashi Tomura, Hiroaki Sakashita, Hiroshi Kubo, Daizo Funaya, Hidekatsu Kobayashi, Yoshifumi Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 6243589
    Abstract: A PC card for enabling a host device for use on a telecommunications network. The micro-processor based card includes transmission and receiver circuitry which form a wireless telephone and a telemetry receiver. The telemetry receiver is used to receive a “wake-up” telemetry signal which activates the card and causes the wireless telephone to call a predetermined telephone number. The call terminates at a telecommunications network switch which then establishes a two way connection between the host device and the person wishing to have the communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Inventor: Gordon Novel
  • Patent number: 6243566
    Abstract: An exciter matching circuit (125), interstage matching circuit (134), and harmonic filter matching circuit (140) match impedances at the input to a two-stage power amplifier (130), between the first stage (132) and the second stage (136) of the power amplifier (130), and at the output of the power amplifier (130) for more than one frequency band of interest. In a GSM/DCS dual band radiotelephone (101), the matching circuits (124, 134, 140) provide low return loss at 900 MHz when the dual band transmitter (110) is operating in the GSM mode. The harmonic filter matching circuit (140) also filters out signals at 1800 MHz, 2700 MHz, and high order harmonics. When the dual band transmitter (110) is in DCS mode, however, the matching circuits (124, 134, 140) provide a low return loss at 1800 MHz and filter out signals at 2700 MHz and harmonics of 1800 MHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sutherland Peckham, Gregory Redmond Black
  • Patent number: 6233024
    Abstract: In a rear projector with a housing on whose front side is arranged a screen for displaying a video picture, with a brightness-modulated and color-modulated R-G-B light source for emitting a light bundle, with a deflecting device for scanning this light bundle, wherein the light bundle is deflected by the deflecting device over a total angle &agr; with respect to vertical scanning, and with a deflecting mirror which is located in the housing and arranged at an angle &dgr;, wherein the light bundle exiting from a real or virtual vertex of the total deflection angle &agr; is deflected onto the screen by the deflecting mirror, the virtual or real vertex located in front of the deflecting mirror lies at a location where the smallest angle &bgr; of the light bundle to the surface of the screen during deflection is less than 20° and the angle &dgr; is given by δ ≤ 45 ⁢ ° - α 4 + β
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: LDT GmbH & Co. Laser-Display-Technologie KG
    Inventors: Klaus Hiller, Frank Goepfert
  • Patent number: 6229573
    Abstract: In a synchronization control circuit according to the present invention, an image can smoothly be switched to another without distortion due to switching between sync signals to be displayed. The phases of sync signals of input video signals A and B are compared with each other in a phase difference detecting section, and the sync signal of one (B) of the signals is matched with that of the other signal A. When signal A is switched to signal B, an image is displayed in response to the corrected sync signal of signal B (corresponding to the sync signal matched with that of signal A). As a result, the synchronization state of signal A is maintained on a display screen, and the image can smoothly be switched without distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Koichi Sato, Takashi Suzuki, Riichiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6229580
    Abstract: The invention provides an image color correction apparatus by which a hue in a desired region in a color image can be corrected to a desired hue readily. Based on a hue and a hue range designated, a color approximation degree hx of each of noticed pixels of input pixels of an input signal is calculated, where HSV values are represented by (h1, s1, v1), in accordance with hx=((m−|Hue−h1|)/m)×s1×v1, and where correction coefficients of color signals R, G and B of each of the input pixels are represented by (a1, a2, a3), the color signals (R, G, B) are corrected to (R′, G′, B′) so that the corrected color signals (R′, G′, B′) may satisfy (R′, G′, B′)=(R, G, B)+hx×(a1, a2, a3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Inoue
  • Patent number: 6229560
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining co-channel interference in a DTV system is disclosed including a first comb filter filtering the received digital data including a data field signal; a pattern generating unit generating a reference sync signal from the data field signal; a second comb filter filtering the reference sync signal; a selection unit receiving either the digital data that passed or have not passed the first comb filter to output one of the data in response to a selection signal; a determination unit determining the presence of a co-channel interference; a first counting unit counting up/down a counted value in response to an output signal of the determination unit; and a second counting unit counting the reliability of the counted value output from the first counting unit, and providing the selection signal to the selection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jungsig Jun
  • Patent number: 6229570
    Abstract: A process for up-converting an existing video source signal having a low frequency (frames/second) to a high frequency signal for use with High Definition Television (HDTV). The process samples the existing frames in the existing video signal and calculates integer displacements of pels within the existing frames. A polynomial curve fit is then performed on the displacements to obtain estimates of horizontal and vertical displacements of each block in each existing frame. Based on the alignment of the blocks within a sampling grid on each frame, the blocks are segregated into groups. The block groups are then used to interpolate missing or required frames of the high frequency signal in a piecemeal manner by utilizing blocks of a particular block group to estimate a corresponding block in a frame of the high frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Kobad Bugwadia, Eric D. Petajan, Narindra N. Puri
  • Patent number: 6226037
    Abstract: An AKB interface apparatus in a display system (10), includes a video signal processing IC (12) having outputs coupled via respective kinescope driver ICs (18,20,22) to respective kinescope cathodes (K1,K2,K3) for display of a color image, the signal processing IC having an input 27 for receiving an AKB input signal, the driver ICs having respective outputs (28,30,32) providing respective cathode current indicating signals (RP,GP,BP) An interface circuit (100) couples the cathode current indicating signals to the AKB input of the signal processing IC. The interface circuit comprises a load circuit (110) for generating a load voltage (Vo) in response to at least one of the cathode current indicating signals. A leakage correction circuit (130), responsive to said load voltage (Vo), feeds back a leakage correction current (Io) to the load circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventor: Dal Frank Griepentrog
  • Patent number: 6226040
    Abstract: Apparatus for generating at least a selected area in a picture is disclosed herein. The picture and the selected area are displayed on a video display means, and the user can optionally adjust the position and size of the selected area. The apparatus including the following devices. A first converting device that is used to generate a digital signal and a pointer defining signal according to a computer video signal. The picture is transferred from the computer video signal, and the selected area is defined in the pointer defining signal. A first adapting device that is utilized to adapt the format of the computer video signal to suit a digital display format corresponding to the pointer defining signal. A storage device determines said display timing of all the pixels of the picture. A pointer generating device generates a plurality of edge of the selected area according to the pointer defining signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignees: Avermedia Technologies, Inc. (Taiwan Company), Avermedia Technologies, Inc. (U.S.A. Company)
    Inventors: Chung-Song Kuo, Yung-Che Chang, Kun-Chou Chen, Hsien-Wen Cheng
  • Patent number: 6226052
    Abstract: An over-scanning amount for display of video images is adjusted by varying the amount of signal information by inserting or deleting pixels at spatio-periodic intervals along the horizontal scan. A judgement is made to determine if the over-scanning amount needs to be increased or decreased. If the over-scanning amount is to be decreased, pixels are deleted. If the over-scanning amount is to be increased, pixels are inserted. When pixels are inserted, the signal information for each inserted pixel may be a duplicate of the information for the pixel to the immediate left or right, or it may be an average of the information in those immediately adjacent pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hae Young Choi
  • Patent number: 6226053
    Abstract: A video line connection apparatus for adaptively connecting external input/output lines, the apparatus capable of flexibly selecting an output by responding to the external line which is connected to an input jack. The apparatus includes: a plurality of composite video input jacks; a plurality of Y/C separated video input jacks; at least one composite video output jack; at least one Y/C separated video output jack; a first multiplexer; a second multiplexer; a third multiplexer; a luminance/chrominance signal separating unit; an on-screen path control unit; a chrominance signal path control unit; and a control unit. The apparatus offers convenience to the user and dispels the user's uneasiness caused by improper connection of video lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kee-yeong Cho
  • Patent number: 6226042
    Abstract: A color encoder is incorporated in an apparatus for reproducing a signal recorded on a disk for a video-CD, CD-G, or similar system. The color encoder serves as an interface between such an apparatus and a television receiver. The color encoder converts R, G, and B signals reproduced from a disk into a color television signal. The color encoder is provided with a circuit for generating a blanking interval control signal that is used to switch between blanking intervals of different duration in accordance with a select signal, so that the duration of the time interval during which video signals are suppressed can be selectively varied. The color encoder has, in the input paths for the R, G, and B signals, switches for enabling and disabling the passage of those signals, and these switches are controlled by the blanking control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Rohn Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahito Kondo, Kyoji Marumoto
  • Patent number: 6223038
    Abstract: The location information can be rapidly restored in a home location register HLR and occurrence of abnormal traffic at the time of restoring the contents of the home location register can be prevented. A location registration request to the base stations located in the location registration area associated with the home location register is issued when the location information stored in the register should be restored. The base stations receive the location registration request, and send the broadcast information including location registration executing request information. The mobile stations execute the location registration process upon receipt of the location registration executing request. In this case, the mobile stations are arranged in a plurality of groups in order to avoid a situation in which a large number of mobile stations concurrently execute the location registration process. The location registration process is executed for each group at respective, different timings in order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Takayuki Iseyama, Shiro Kadoshima
  • Patent number: 6223061
    Abstract: An apparatus for low power radio communication comprising a transmitter having a frequency synthesizer and transmit antenna such that the frequency synthesizer comprises a phase locked loop circuit with a voltage controlled oscillator having a variable frequency output and with a loop filter/sample and hold circuit that allows opening of the synthesizer control loop and with special means of limiting the resulting frequency drift in the open loop state. The transmitter produces an output signal and the loop filter/sample and hold circuit holds the voltage controlled oscillator substantially on frequency such that the output signal remains stable, with a minimum of frequency drift, over a period of time when the phase lock loop synthesizer is set to an open loop state to allow frequency modulation unimpeded by the normal frequency correcting action of the synthesizer and for the frequency synthesizer to be partially powered down to reduce power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Cleveland Medical Devices Inc.
    Inventors: Farron L. Dacus, Robert N. Schmidt, Steven P. Hendrix
  • Patent number: 6219105
    Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus comprising an oscillating unit for outputting a signal of a stable frequency, a counting unit for counting the period of a cycle of a signal supplied from the outside based on the signal output by the oscillating unit, a clock number calculating unit for calculating the number of clocks in a line based on a result of counting by the counting unit, a comparing unit for comparing the number of clocks calculated by the clock number calculating unit with a threshold to decide which is larger, a switching unit for deciding the number of clocks in the next operation by switching to the number of clocks calculated by the clock number calculating unit if the calculated number of clocks is larger than the threshold, or deciding the number of clocks in the next operation by holding the number of clocks in a line in the current operation as it is, and a synchronizing signal generating unit for, based on the number of clocks in operation decided by the switching unit and the signal out
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Kashiro, Shozo Fujii, Katuji Uro
  • Patent number: 6219108
    Abstract: Radio receivers for receiving DTV signals, in accordance with the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standard, or analog TV, in accordance with the National Television Sub-Committee (NTSC) standard, each use a single first detector for both types of signal. This single first detector supplies its output signals to an intermediate-frequency amplifier chain for DTV signals and to another intermediate-frequency amplifier chain for analog TV signals. The response of the intermediate-frequency amplifier chain for DTV signals is synchrodyned to baseband and supplied to symbol decoding circuitry. The response of the intermediate-frequency amplifier chain for analog TV signals is supplied to a video detector. In some of the radio receivers the sound carrier of the NTSC signal has a separate, further intermediate-frequency amplifier chain. The intermediate-frequency chain for DTV signals comprises an intitial portion which has reverse AGC, a following mixer, and a final portion which also has reverse AGC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Allen LeRoy
  • Patent number: 6219527
    Abstract: In a radio apparatus having a rod-like antenna (6), a cable (12) has one end electrically and mechanically connected to the antenna and is urged by a urging arrangement (22,24) so that it is prevented from slackening. The other end of the cable is fixed to an electrical part such as a circuit board (14) contained in a casing (4) of the radio apparatus. The antenna is stored in a storage portion (8) of the casing so as to be movable in a direction parallel to an extension axis of the antenna. It is preferable that the urging arrangement is constituted by a combination of a tension pulley (22) and a spring member (24) which is interposed between the tension pulley and the casing for urging the tension pulley to make said cable have tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Ogawa