Patents by Inventor Dean B. Nicholson
Dean B. Nicholson 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).
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Patent number: 8405936Abstract: A power diverter has a first terminal for interposition between a signal input and a signal output. A MEMS switch is coupled to the first terminal and has a MEMS switch control input. A MEMS protection switch is coupled to the MEMS switch and has a protection switch control input. The switch control inputs are configured to receive control signals for selectively placing the power diverter in i) an ON state in which signal power at the signal input is diverted from the signal output via the MEMS switch and the MEMS protection switch, ii) an OFF state in which signal power at the signal input is not diverted from the signal output, and in which the MEMS switch mitigates an insertion loss and distortion imparted by the MEMS protection switch to a signal path between the signal input and the signal output, and iii) an intermediary state in which the MEMS protection switch reduces current flow through the MEMS switch.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2008Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric R. Ehlers, Dean B. Nicholson
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Publication number: 20100277839Abstract: A power protection apparatus includes a PIN diode circuit and a solid state limiter. The PIN diode circuit is connected to a signal path for transporting RF signals between a first RF device and a second RF device, the PIN diode circuit including first and second PIN diodes having opposite polarities. The solid state limiter is configured to detect an overpower condition of an RF signal input from the second RF device on the signal path, and to trigger the PIN diode circuit in response to the detected overpower condition, limiting the overpower condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2009Publication date: November 4, 2010Applicant: AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Dean B. NICHOLSON, Jeffrey P. CAUFFIELD, Ronald C. BLANC
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Publication number: 20090272634Abstract: A power diverter has a first terminal for interposition between a signal input and a signal output. A MEMS switch is coupled to the first terminal and has a MEMS switch control input. A MEMS protection switch is coupled to the MEMS switch and has a protection switch control input. The switch control inputs are configured to receive control signals for selectively placing the power diverter in i) an ON state in which signal power at the signal input is diverted from the signal output via the MEMS switch and the MEMS protection switch, ii) an OFF state in which signal power at the signal input is not diverted from the signal output, and in which the MEMS switch mitigates an insertion loss and distortion imparted by the MEMS protection switch to a signal path between the signal input and the signal output, and iii) an intermediary state in which the MEMS protection switch reduces current flow through the MEMS switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2008Publication date: November 5, 2009Inventors: Eric R. Ehlers, Dean B. Nicholson
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Publication number: 20080224690Abstract: A module incorporates power sensors coupled to a through line through directional couplers, all of which are mounted on a board within a housing, for measuring transmitted and received power of a system under test.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2008Publication date: September 18, 2008Applicant: AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Dean B. NICHOLSON, Jonathan B. SCOTT
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Publication number: 20080143320Abstract: An RF power sensor is enclosed within a housing. An input port of the housing brings an RF signal into the housing. An RF switch within the housing switches the RF signal between an amplified path, a through path and an attenuated path. An RF power detector within the housing measures heat generated by the RF energy of the RF signal passing through the amplified path, through path or attenuated path.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2006Publication date: June 19, 2008Applicant: AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventor: Dean B. Nicholson
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Publication number: 20080116878Abstract: An RF power sensor is enclosed within a housing. An input port of the housing brings an RF signal into the housing. An RF switch within the housing switches the RF signal between an amplified and filtered path, a through-path and an attenuated path. An RF power detector within the housing detects the electric field of the RF signal and rectifies it into a current to measure the RF energy of the RF signal passing through the amplified path, through-path or attenuated path.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2006Publication date: May 22, 2008Applicant: AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventor: Dean B. Nicholson
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Patent number: 7355491Abstract: In one aspect, a signal path is described. The signal path has a nominal impedance over a specified bandwidth and interconnects a port of a microwave circuit package and a microwave component mounted in the microwave circuit package. The signal path includes an inductive transition and first and second capacitive structures. The inductive transition extends from a first point on the signal path to a second point on the signal path and has an excess impedance above the nominal impedance. The first and second capacitive structures respectively shunt the first and second points on the signal path to compensate the excess impedance of the inductive transition. The inductive transition and the first and second capacitive structures approximate a filter having an impedance substantially matching the nominal impedance over the specified bandwidth.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2007Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP Pte LtdInventors: Dean B. Nicholson, Reto Zingg, Keith W. Howell, Eric R. Ehlers
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Patent number: 7187249Abstract: In one aspect, a signal path is described. The signal path has a nominal impedance over a specified bandwidth and interconnects a port of a microwave circuit package and a microwave component mounted in the microwave circuit package. The signal path includes an inductive transition and first and second capacitive structures. The inductive transition extends from a first point on the signal path to a second point on the signal path and has an excess impedance above the nominal impedance. The first and second capacitive structures respectively shunt the first and second points on the signal path to compensate the excess impedance of the inductive transition. The inductive transition and the first and second capacitive structures approximate a filter having an impedance substantially matching the nominal impedance over the specified bandwidth.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2004Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Dean B. Nicholson, Reto Zingg, Keith W. Howell, Eric R. Ehlers
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Patent number: 6884950Abstract: A MEMS switching system includes a power diverter interposed between a signal source and a bank of MEMS switches. The power diverter has an activated state wherein signal power from the signal source is diverted from the bank of MEMS switches, and a deactivated state wherein signal power from the signal source is not diverted from the bank of MEMS switches. A control signal selects between the activated state and the deactivated state of the power diverter.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2004Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Dean B. Nicholson, Eric R. Ehlers
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Patent number: 6239385Abstract: A surface mountable coaxial solder interconnect. The invention provides a small, low-cost, passively self-aligning, high-frequency electronic interconnect adapted to mass production and method. The invention includes a substrate, a signal conductor, and an annular conductor. The substrate incorporates an annular pad and a signal pad substantially centered within the annular pad. The signal conductor includes reflowed solder and is wetted to the signal pad. Similarly, the annular conductor includes reflowed solder and is wetted to the annular pad. The invention may also provide a second substrate substantially parallel to the first substrate that includes a second annular pad and a second signal pad substantially centered within the second annular pad. In such a case, the signal conductor is also wetted to the second signal pad, and, similarly, the annular conductor is also wetted to the second annular pad. The method of the invention includes obtaining a mask and a substrate.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 1998Date of Patent: May 29, 2001Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Matthew K. Schwiebert, Ron Barnett, Geary L. Chew, Gerald J. Gleason, Dean B. Nicholson
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Patent number: 5808322Abstract: The present invention relates to GaAs FET switches for use in microwave test equipment. For many microwave applications, particularly GSM (Global System for Mobile Telecommunications) basestation testing, accurate, reliable switching of microwave signals is desirable. GaAs FET switches are widely used to switch microwave signals in many applications because of their small size and high reliability. However, GaAs FET switches have a significant drawback called the "slow tail" effect. This effect causes the final amplitude of the microwave signal to only be reached gradually after a 10 to 20 millisecond interval. The present invention integrates high intensity LEDs above GaAs IC switches to decrease the absolute magnitude of the slow tail effect, and to shorten its length for faster, more accurate switching.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 1997Date of Patent: September 15, 1998Assignee: Hewlett-Packard CompanyInventors: Dean B. Nicholson, Eric R. Ehlers
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Patent number: 5668408Abstract: A module technology allows a PGA like package architecture to be used in microwave instruments and other high frequency systems where high isolation, low reflection, and low cost multi-chip modules are needed.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 1996Date of Patent: September 16, 1997Assignee: Hewlett-Packard CompanyInventor: Dean B. Nicholson
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Patent number: 4888569Abstract: By combining four hexagonal ferrite spheres under the same electromagnet structure, a magnetically tuneable bandpass filter can be built in waveguide yielding high off resonance isolation, while keeping insertion loss to a reasonable value. Implementations of this filter in A, Q, U, and V bands have typical off resonance isolation greater than 70 dB and insertion loss less than 13 dB for full-band tuning. The filter can be utilized as a preselector for swept-frequency signal analyzers, for example.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 1988Date of Patent: December 19, 1989Assignee: Hewlett-Packard CompanyInventors: Dean B. Nicholson, Robert J. Matreci