Abstract: An electronic price label which is suitable for use in both small EPLs having lengths of about 1.5 to 2 inches and large size EPLs having lengths of about 3 to 4 inches. The antenna includes a folded planar conductor including a generally planar radiator portion coupled to a antenna port on a printed circuit board, a generally planar ground plane portion coupled to a ground on the printed circuit board having a width and oriented generally parallel to the radiator portion, and a dielectric layer between the radiator portion and the ground plane portion. The width of the ground plane portion is larger than the width of the radiator portion by a distance sufficient to produce an electric field which is linearly polarized in the width direction, thereby eliminating a need for shielding.

Abstract: A spread-spectrum receiver for time sharing a correlator for simultaneously receiving a plurality of parallel spread-spectrum signals. A combined multiplicity of symbols includes a multiplicity of symbols, simultaneously occurring during a symbol-time duration, from a plurality of spread-spectrum signals. A demultiplexer demultiplexes a sequence of the combined multiplicity of symbols into a plurality of symbol registers. Each of the symbol registers stores the chip-sequence signals corresponding to the combined multiplicity of symbols which were sent to the particular symbol register. A multiplexer selects a symbol register, other than the symbol register selected by the demultiplexer. The multiplicity of chip-sequence signals stored in the selected symbol register by the multiplexer are compared by a comparator with a multiplicity of replicas of the chip-sequence signals used to generate the spread-spectrum signals.

Abstract: A loop antenna includes a dielectric substrate, and an antenna conductor forming a loop that extends over a surface of the substrate. A matching circuit near the conductor is dimensioned and arranged for electromagnetically coupling a radio frequency circuit with the antenna conductor. In one embodiment, the antenna conductor forms a closed loop on a surface of a first substrate layer, and the matching network includes a strip transmission line on a surface of a second substrate layer overlying the antenna conductor on the first substrate layer. The substrate layers form part of an interface unit that provides a wireless data link with a residential electric utility meter.

Abstract: A multi-clock matched filter for receiving signals with multipath. The signals may be modulated with a spread-spectrum spreading sequence, or other analog or digital signal. A number of signal registers store digital samples of the received signal. The gating of digital samples into each of the signal registers is controlled by a separate clock timing. The timing sequence may be derived from a common clock. A multiplexer sequentially selects each of the signal registers, and passes the respective content of each signal register to a matched filter. A number of delay-locked-loop circuits track each of the multipath signals, and generate the timing sequence for gating signal registers.

Abstract: A multipath-combining subsystem for receiving a spread-spectrum signal arriving from a plurality of paths. A header-matched filter detects each match, within each path, of a header-chip-sequence signal with a first impulse response and outputs a header-detection signal having a header amplitude and a respective chip location. A data-matched filter detects at the respective chip location of each header-detection signal, a respective data-chip-sequence signal and outputs a data-detection signal having a data amplitude. A combiner multiplies the header amplitude of each header-detection signal and the data amplitude of the respective data symbol to generate a plurality of weighted elements for each data symbol. The combiner then adds the plurality of weighted elements for each data symbol as a sum signal of the respective data symbol.

Abstract: A superior and scaleable architecture for implementing a large bit matched filter. The implementation of the bit matched filter requires less silicon and consumes less power as compared to the existing design. An effective way to turn the bit matched filter on and off for power saving is also disclosed.

Abstract: A band-reject filter includes a three port circulator having an input port, a second port connected to a bandpass filter terminated in a matched load, and a third output port. The loss of the band-reject filter is enhanced by controlling the amplitude and phase of a feed-forward signal, passing between the input port and output port, relative to the amplitude and phase of a reflected signal from the matched load.

Abstract: A superior and scaleable architecture for implementing a large bit matched filter. The implementation of the bit matched filter requires less silicon and consumes less power as compared to the existing design. An effective way to turn the bit matched filter on and off for power saving is also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed method of making a semiconductor device comprises a screening procedure that facilitates identification of devices having relatively low flicker noise. The devices are typically semiconductor diodes. The procedure utilizes our discovery of a correlation between the reverse bias current I.sub.r of a semiconductor device and the flicker noise power, and comprises measurement of the reverse bias current and comparison of the measured value with a predetermined comparison value I.sub.rc. Devices having I.sub.r .ltoreq.I.sub.rc are those that have relatively low flicker noise. The screening procedure is simple and quick, and can be readily performed in a manufacturing environment.

Abstract: A wireless electronic module includes a folded monopole antenna having an antenna port impedance which is reactive at the RF frequency of operation and which conjugately matches the reactive impedance of the electronic circuit which connects to the antenna port. A grounded shield is interposed between the antenna and the electronic circuit to reduce RF losses at the antenna.

Abstract: An RF apparatus (e.g., a wireless label) provides improved backscattering of an incident RF signal by utilizing a separate modulator diode, which connects across the antenna, to modulate the backscattering of the antenna. A separate detector diode connects across the antenna through an impedance matching network to detect modulated signals received by the antenna.

Abstract: A diode detector is integrated into a microstrip patch antenna. Tuning and matching of the detector are accomplished by adjusting the geometry of the patch. Cost, power consumption, losses, and spurious responses are reduced. The antenna may be adapted to a mixer, video detector, i.f. detector, or audio detector.

Abstract: A thermal vellum medium includes a wood pulp based substrate having a thermal layer, comprising a heat-sensitive, image-forming material disposed on one side thereof and a silicone layer impregnated into an opposite side of the substrate.