Patents by Inventor Charles R. Ratliff

Charles R. Ratliff 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: 5852651
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sectorizing coverage of a cellular communications area includes providing a remote unit having microcell antenna units. Each microcell antenna unit is configured to cover a particular sector. The remote unit is connected to a sectorized base station unit which is connected to a mobile telecommunications switching office. Separate digitized streams representative of telephone signals received from the mobile telecommunications switching office are generated corresponding to the microcell antenna units and the separate digitized streams are multiplexed and transmitted to the remote unit. The remote unit demultiplexes the multiplexed digitized streams into the separate digitized streams corresponding to the microcell antenna units and the separate digitized streams are converted to RF signals for coverage of a particular sector by the corresponding microcell antenna unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry G. Fischer, Charles R. Ratliff, Philip M. Wala
  • Patent number: 5627879
    Abstract: A microcellular communications network includes a plurality of base station units and corresponding antenna units. The base station units are housed in a common location. Each includes either conventional transmitters and receivers or all digital transmitter and receiver equipment, and interface circuitry to a mobile telecommunications switching office. The microcell traffic output is applied to a frame generator/multiplexer. The output of the frame generator/multiplexer is applied to a digitally modulated laser. The laser output is conveyed by fiber to a remote antenna unit, which demultiplexes the microcell traffic signal and applies it to a digital-to-analog converter. The output of the digital-to-analog converter is applied to a power amplifier, which in turn is connected to a main antenna. RF signals from the mobile units are received at both a main and a diversity antenna. The received signals are filtered, digitized, multiplexed together and transmitted over the optical fiber back to the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
    Inventors: David S. Russell, Larry G. Fischer, Philip M. Wala, Charles R. Ratliff, Jeffrey Brennan
  • Patent number: 4390885
    Abstract: An apparatus having a reservoir for enclosing a fluid and a valve for selectively applying gas under pressure to said reservoir and venting said reservoir to the ambient air. A controller supplies a pulse of predetermined duration selected from a plurality of durations to actuate the valve to apply the gas under pressure to the reservoir for expelling a predetermined amount of ink therefrom through a tube by compensation for dynamic effects. The ink is transferred from one end of the tube to a selected item of a sheet of items by moving the end of the tube closely adjacent to the sheet while the ink is being expelled from the reservoir and through the tube for transfer to the individual item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1983
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gautam N. Shah, Michael R. Brown, Edward C. Lee, Gerald C. Hook, Robert L. Wand, Charles R. Ratliff, Virge W. McClure
  • Patent number: 4219771
    Abstract: A four-quadrant multiprobe edge sensor system which comprises a printed circuit board having a plurality of data probes mounted thereon which include four data-detector probes particularly-positioned. The data-detector probes include a support body, and an arm supported by the body and attached thereto in an angular fashion. A probe tip in the form of a needle extends from and is attached to the arm. The probe tip includes a downwardly positioned point for contact with the surface having integrated circuits defined thereon. A force sensitive material is attached to but electrically isolated from the arm and has conductor leads extending therefrom with said force sensitive material comprising a piezoelectric material, for example. The four data-detector probes are located on the printed circuit board such that when being used for testing, the probe tips of the four data-detector probes are placed in each of the four corners of an integrated circuit chip defined on a semiconductor slice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1980
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee R. Reid, Charles R. Ratliff
  • Patent number: 4195259
    Abstract: A multiprobe test system is disclosed for testing microcircuits which includes a printed circuit board having a plurality of data-detector probes attached for z-axis control and edge detection. The data-detector probes include a support body, and an arm supported by the body and attached thereto in an angular fashion. A probe tip in the form of a needle extends from and is attached to the arm. The probe tip includes a downwardly positioned point for contact with the surface having integrated circuits defined thereon. A force sensitive material is attached to but electrically isolated from the arm and has conductor leads extending therefrom. The force sensitive material comprises a piezoelectric material, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1980
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee R. Reid, Charles R. Ratliff
  • Patent number: RE40564
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sectorizing coverage of a cellular communications area includes providing a remote unit having microcell antenna units. Each microcell antenna unit is configured to cover a particular sector. The remote unit is connected to a sectorized base station unit which is connected to a mobile telecommunications switching office. Separate digitized streams representative of telephone signals received from the mobile telecommunications switching office are generated corresponding to the microcell antenna units and the separate digitized streams are multiplexed and transmitted to the remote unit. The remote unit demultiplexes the multiplexed digitized streams into the separate digitized streams corresponding to the microcell antenna units and the separate digitized streams are converted to RF signals for coverage of a particular sector by the corresponding microcell antenna unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry G. Fischer, David S. Russell, Philip M. Wala, Charles R. Ratliff, Jeffrey O. Brennan
  • Patent number: RE43964
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sectorizing coverage of a cellular communications area includes providing a remote unit having microcell antenna units. Each microcell antenna unit is configured to cover a particular sector. The remote unit is connected to a sectorized base station unit which is connected to a mobile telecommunications switching office. Separate digitized streams representative of telephone signals received from the mobile telecommunications switching office are generated corresponding to the microcell antenna units and the separate digitized streams are multiplexed and transmitted to the remote unit. The remote unit demultiplexes the multiplexed digitized streams into the separate digitized streams corresponding to the microcell antenna units and the separate digitized streams are converted to RF signals for coverage of a particular sector by the corresponding microcell antenna unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry G. Fischer, David S. Russell, Philip M. Wala, Charles R. Ratliff, Jeffrey O. Brennan
  • Patent number: RE45321
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sectorizing coverage of a cellular communications area includes providing a remote unit having microcell antenna units. Each microcell antenna unit is configured to cover a particular sector. The remote unit is connected to a sectorized base station unit which is connected to a mobile telecommunications switching office. Separate digitized streams representative of telephone signals received from the mobile telecommunications switching office are generated corresponding to the microcell antenna units and the separate digitized streams are multiplexed and transmitted to the remote unit. The remote unit demultiplexes the multiplexed digitized streams into the separate digitized streams corresponding to the microcell antenna units and the separate digitized streams are converted to RF signals for coverage of a particular sector by the corresponding microcell antenna unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry G. Fischer, David S. Russell, Philip M. Wala, Charles R Ratliff, Jeffrey O. Brennan