Patents by Inventor Andrew Urquhart

Andrew Urquhart has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9136885
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to wireless communications networks, and more specifically to an antenna apparatus for cellular wireless systems. Increasing data capacity of cellular wireless systems places increasing demands on the capacity of the two way connection, known as backhaul, between a cellular base station and a telecommunications network such as the PSTN backhaul, since this is the connection that has to convey the wireless-originating traffic to its destination, often in an entirely different network. Known backhaul links include leased lines, microwave links, optical fiber links or radio resources for relaying backhaul traffic between base stations. The fixed line solutions are expensive to implement and maintain, while the radio solutions antenna configurations that are not ideal for relaying data between base stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Gale, Andrew Urquhart
  • Patent number: 8971220
    Abstract: A base station including at least a transceiver switch is provided enabling the base station to transmit and receive data in either FDD or TDD mode from an antenna. The base station may be provided with a synthesizer which can be retuned from FDD to TDD mode or alternatively, an FDD and a TDD synthesizer and a switch enabling the transmitter and receiver of the base station to process FDD or TDD mode data respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Rockstar Consortium US LP
    Inventors: Christopher Reed, Simon Gale, Andrew Urquhart
  • Patent number: 8879509
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of communicating between a first node including a plurality of antennas and a second node, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting a signal from the first node to said second node using each of the plurality of antennas of the first node; at the second node, selecting one of the plurality of antennas for use; and communicating between the two nodes using this selected antenna. The invention is also directed to apparatus and software for performing the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Urquhart, Simon Gale
  • Publication number: 20140302889
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to wireless communications networks, and more specifically to an antenna apparatus for cellular wireless systems. Increasing data capacity of cellular wireless systems places increasing demands on the capacity of the two way connection, known as backhaul, between a cellular base station and a telecommunications network such as the PSTN backhaul, since this is the connection that has to convey the wireless-originating traffic to its destination, often in an entirely different network. Known backhaul links include leased lines, microwave links, optical fibre links or radio resources for relaying backhaul traffic between base stations. The fixed line solutions are expensive to implement and maintain, while the radio solutions antenna configurations that are not ideal for relaying data between base stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Simon Gale, Andrew Urquhart
  • Patent number: 8805388
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to wireless communications networks, and more specifically to an antenna apparatus for cellular wireless systems. In some embodiments, a method of transceiving signals in a wireless communications network is described. The method includes receiving, by user equipment, a signal in a time slot and a frequency band from a transceiver system, the transceiver system configured to transceive at least one other signal from one or more base stations in at least one other time slot and at least one other frequency band via at least two antenna systems. The frequency bands at least partially overlap and transmissions of the signals are in at least a portion of the wireless communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Gale, Andrew Urquhart
  • Patent number: 8542630
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to wireless communications networks, and more specifically to method and apparatus relating to wireless backhaul for cellular wireless systems. Increasing data capacity of cellular wireless systems places increasing demands on the capacity of the two way connection, known as backhaul, between a cellular base station and a telecommunications network such as the PSTN backhaul, since this is the connection that has to convey the wireless-originating traffic to its destination, often in an entirely different network. Known backhaul links include leased lines, microwave links, optical fibre links or radio resources for relaying backhaul traffic between base stations. The fixed line solutions are expensive to implement and maintain, while the radio solutions suffer from interference from transmissions between base stations with transmissions from user equipment to base stations which are not communicating with other base stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Gale, Andrew Urquhart, James Mark Naden
  • Patent number: 8525733
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an RE antenna structure that includes a planar structure and a loading plate, such that the planar structure is mounted between a ground plane and the loading plate to form an RF antenna. The loading plate may be about parallel to the ground plane and the planar structure may be about perpendicular to the loading plate and the ground plane. The loading plate may allow the height of the RF antenna structure above the ground plane to be relatively small. For example, the height may be significantly less than one-quarter of a wavelength of RF signals of interest. The planar structure may include two conductive matching elements to help increase the bandwidth of the RF antenna structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Kitchener, Andrew Urquhart
  • Patent number: 8514139
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to an antenna structure and are particularly suited to array antennas. An antenna according to an embodiment of the invention employs an enclosure having an aperture in one end; in preferred arrangements the aperture provides the enclosure with a substantially open end, over which the cover is placed. The cover has a slot therein, of a smaller size than the size of the aperture presented by the open ended enclosure and the slot in the cover then acts as the radiating slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Apple, Inc.
    Inventors: David Adams, Andrew Urquhart, William Waddoup, Dean Kitchener, Steven Hall, Simon Gale
  • Patent number: 8437766
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to wireless communications networks, and more specifically to an antenna apparatus for cellular wireless systems. Increasing data capacity of cellular wireless systems places increasing demands on the capacity of the two way connection, known as backhaul, between a cellular base station and a telecommunications network such as the PSTN backhaul, since this is the connection that has to convey the wireless-originating traffic to its destination, often in an entirely different network. Known backhaul links include leased lines, microwave links, optical fibre links or radio resources for relaying backhaul traffic between base stations. The fixed line solutions are expensive to implement and maintain, while the radio solutions antenna configurations that are not ideal for relaying data between base stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Apple, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Gale, Andrew Urquhart
  • Patent number: 8416137
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an RF antenna structure that includes a planar structure and a loading plate, such that the planar structure is mounted between a ground plane and the loading plate to form an RF antenna. The loading plate may be about parallel to the ground plane and the planar structure may be about perpendicular to the loading plate and the ground plane. The loading plate may allow the height of the RF antenna structure above the ground plane to be relatively small. For example, the height may be significantly less than one-quarter of a wavelength of RF signals of interest. The planar structure may include two conductive matching elements to help increase the bandwidth of the RF antenna structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Kitchener, Andrew Urquhart
  • Publication number: 20120274537
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an RF antenna structure that includes a planar structure and a loading plate, such that the planar structure is mounted between a ground plane and the loading plate to form an RF antenna. The loading plate may be about parallel to the ground plane and the planar structure may be about perpendicular to the loading plate and the ground plane. The loading plate may allow the height of the RF antenna structure above the ground plane to be relatively small. For example, the height may be significantly less than one-quarter of a wavelength of RF signals of interest. The planar structure may include two conductive matching elements to help increase the bandwidth of the RF antenna structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Rockstar BIDCO LP
    Inventors: Dean Kitchener, Andrew Urquhart
  • Publication number: 20120140682
    Abstract: A base station including at least a transceiver switch is provided enabling the base station to transmit and receive data in either FDD or TDD mode from an antenna. The base station may be provided with a synthesiser which can be retuned from FDD to TDD mode or alternatively, an FDD and a TDD synthesiser and a switch enabling the transmitter and receiver of the base station to process FDD or TDD mode data respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: NORTEL NETWORKS LIMITED
    Inventors: Christopher Reed, Simon Gale, Andrew Urquhart
  • Publication number: 20110317625
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of communicating between a first node including a plurality of antennas and a second node, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting a signal from the first node to said second node using each of the plurality of antennas of the first node; at the second node, selecting one of the plurality of antennas for use; and communicating between the two nodes using this selected antenna. The invention is also directed to apparatus and software for performing the methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: NORTEL NETWORKS LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Urquhart, Simon Gale
  • Patent number: 8040289
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an RF antenna structure that includes a planar structure and a loading plate, such that the planar structure is mounted between a ground plane and the loading plate to form an RF antenna. The loading plate may be about parallel to the ground plane and the planar structure may be about perpendicular to the loading plate and the ground plane. The loading plate may allow the height of the RF antenna structure above the ground plane to be relatively small. For example, the height may be significantly less than one-quarter of a wavelength of RF signals of interest. The planar structure may include two conductive matching elements to help increase the bandwidth of the RF antenna structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Dean Kitchener, Andrew Urquhart
  • Patent number: 8027315
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of communicating between a first transceiver including a plurality of antennas and a second transceiver, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting a signal from the first transceiver to said second transceiver using each of the plurality of antennas of the first transceiver; at the second transceiver, selecting one of the plurality of antennas for use; and communicating between the two transceivers using this selected antenna. The invention is also directed to apparatus and software for performing the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Urquhart, Simon Gale
  • Publication number: 20110223925
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to wireless communications networks, and more specifically to an antenna apparatus for cellular wireless systems. Increasing data capacity of cellular wireless systems places increasing demands on the capacity of the two way connection, known as backhaul, between a cellular base station and a telecommunications network such as the PSTN backhaul, since this is the connection that has to convey the wireless-originating traffic to its destination, often in an entirely different network. Known backhaul links include leased lines, microwave links, optical fibre links or radio resources for relaying backhaul traffic between base stations. The fixed line solutions are expensive to implement and maintain, while the radio solutions antenna configurations that are not ideal for relaying data between base stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: NORTEL NETWORKS LIMITED
    Inventors: Simon Gale, Andrew Urquhart
  • Publication number: 20110181482
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to an antenna structure and are particularly suited to array antennas. Conventionally, an antenna of the cavity-backed slot-radiating type comprises a slot formed in an end of an electrically conductive enclosure, which slot may be energised by a radiating element in registration with the slot. A feed network may connect to the radiating element via a transmission line formed by a conductive track on a feed layer located between the enclosure and an electrically conductive cover. A slot is formed in the section of the cover that covers the end of the cavity in which a slot is formed, such that the two slots are of substantially the same size and shape. A problem with this structure is that the cavity is difficult to mould in one piece and it can be difficult to achieve alignment of respective slots; as a result it is relatively costly to manufacture. Also, it is difficult to insert dielectric material into the enclosure to adjust the performance parameters of the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: David Adams, Andrew Urquhart, William Waddoup, Dean Kitchener, Steven Hall, Simon Gale
  • Publication number: 20110183867
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of screening arrays of polymers having pre-determined surface energies. The polymer arrays of the present invention can be used to screen for microorganism adherence. More specifically the arrays can be used to screen for adherence of particular bacteria or fungi to particular polymers in the array. Furthermore, this invention relates to a method combining in-situ polymer synthesis with physico-chemical characterisation of the resulting polymer array and subsequent biological assays of bacterial or fungal adherence. This allows for high throughput screening and characterisation of candidate polymers which are not susceptible to bacterial or fungal adherence or which can be used to support bacterial or fungal adherence where such is required. The arrays can also be used to screen for inhibition or promotion of biofilm formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Martyn Christopher Davies, Morgan Alexander, Paul Williams, Robert Langer, Daniel Anderson, Andrew Urquhart
  • Patent number: 7962145
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to wireless communications networks, and more specifically to an antenna apparatus for cellular wireless systems. Increasing data capacity of cellular wireless systems places increasing demands on the capacity of the two way connection, known as backhaul, between a cellular base station and a telecommunications network such as the PSTN backhaul, since this is the connection that has to convey the wireless-originating traffic to its destination, often in an entirely different network. Known backhaul links include leased lines, microwave links, optical fiber links or radio resources for relaying backhaul traffic between base stations. The fixed line solutions are expensive to implement and maintain, while the radio solutions antenna configurations that are not ideal for relaying data between base stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Simon Gale, Andrew Urquhart
  • Publication number: 20100273259
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device and a cell culture system comprising a substrate that generates significant chemical ion signatures adapted for culturing stem cells. This disclosure further provides unique surface properties, such as surface wettability, along with defined polymer microspot environments in an array, for effectively supporting the propagation and differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells in vitro. Methods of culturing, maintenance, differentiating stem cells as well as reprogramming somatic cells into stem cells using the device and the cell culture system with the suitable substrates, along with suitable culture media, are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Krishanu Saha, Ying Mei, Said R. Bogatyrev, Daniel G. Anderson, Rudolf Jaenisch, Robert S. Langer, Morgan Alexander, Martyn Davies, Jing Yang, Christian J. Kastrup, Andrew Urquhart