Abstract: If the mobile station (101) locates a peer it will request network metadata and may obtain location related services or service lists. The mobile station (101) negotiates with one of more peers (103) to share the work load of background scanning for network services. After successful negotiation, any peers in the “discovery net” will report or advertise to each other of any newly discovered networks, or networks to which connectivity has been lost. Since the various mobile stations may, when powered on, scan periodically for network changes, the metadata stored on the mobile station (101) will be dynamic and will change periodically upon travels and/or encounters with additional peers. Because the peers (103) may also possess location information, the mobile station (101) may additionally adjust its scan to prioritize services advertised by those members of peers (103) that are located most proximate to the mobile station (101).

Abstract: An anechoic chamber (100) is provided with a system for introducing wireless communication signals into the anechoic chamber (100) for establishing wireless signaling with equipment under test (122), without interfering with signals from the equipment under test (122) that are to be measured in the anechoic chamber (100). The system comprises a low reflection cross-section cable (236) that extends through the chamber (100) to a weakly radiating small antenna (242, 502) that is positioned proximate the equipment under test (122).

Abstract: A radio frequency anechoic test chamber (100) includes a test stand (118) that includes a relatively small diameter, mechanically robust, telescoping lower vertical support column (202), a large diameter thin walled middle vertical support column (204) that includes a sheet or coating of absorbing material (224) disposed proximate the circumference of the thin walled middle support column, (204) and an upper support member (206). The radio frequency anechoic test chamber provides improved ripple performance that allows more accurate measurements of the gain pattern of radio frequency equipment.

Abstract: An antenna system includes a stacked patch antenna (100) comprising two or more patch antennas symmetrically aligned around an axis. The stacked patch antenna (100) comprises a differential feed patch antenna. The two or more patch antennas include a first patch antenna (105) and a second patch antenna (110). At least a portion of the second patch antenna (110) serves as a ground plane for the first patch antenna (105).

Abstract: An adaptive antenna system having a counterpoise conductor contained within a housing of a communication device and located distally from such surfaces of the housing that can be held by or placed in proximity to a user or external objects which detune the counterpoise. A tuning circuit is coupled between the counterpoise conductor and a ground. The tuning circuit is operable to adapt the resonant frequency of the counterpoise conductor to divert operational RF currents away from the ground located in proximity the user or external objects and onto the counterpoise conductor.

Abstract: An adaptive antenna system having a counterpoise conductor contained within a housing of a communication device and located distally from such surfaces of the housing that can be held by or placed in proximity to a user or external objects which detune the counterpoise. A tuning circuit is coupled between the counterpoise conductor and a ground. The tuning circuit is operable to adapt the resonant frequency of the counterpoise conductor to divert operational RF currents away from the ground located in proximity the user or external objects and onto the counterpoise conductor.

Abstract: An improved antenna system to channel counterpoise currents for an unbalanced antenna such as a helical monopole. A first conductor, or ground resonator, is coupled to a ground connection near the antenna and is located distally from a user to reduce electromagnetic exposure. The first conductor presents a low impedance path at an operating frequency of the antenna such that RF currents are attracted onto the first conductor. A second conductor, such as a printed circuit board or user interface circuitry, is also coupled to the ground connection of the first conductor. The second conductor presents a high impedance path at the operating frequency of the antenna such that RF currents are diverted away from the second conductor which is held closer to a user than the first conductor.

Abstract: A multi-function antenna system for a radio communication device includes a housing that encloses a radio frequency transceiver of the radio communication device. A mounting base is coupled to the housing and has a first set of electrical contacts coupled to the transceiver. An antenna element is coupled by a hinge to the mounting base and has a second set of electrical contacts. Different portions of the first and second set of contacts are connectable as a function of the relative positions of the mounting base and the antenna element so as to provide different antenna functions.

Abstract: A wrist-carried radiotelephone, operable without removing from a user's wrist, includes a housing including a display and a battery, and a wristband having a plurality of rigid and flexing portions. The flexing portions mechanically connect the rigid portions. The wristband is electrically and mechanically coupled to the housing. The radiotelephone circuitry is distributed within the rigid portions of the wristband and is interconnected through the flexing portions of the wristband. The circuitry is coupled to the display and the battery through the wristband.

Abstract: A transformation network is provided capable of interfacing between an unbalanced port (110) and a plurality of differently phased balanced ports (120, 130). A balun (165) has a choke (140) and connects the unbalanced port (110) to a balanced pair of nodes. An additional node (145) is provided on the balun. First and second unbalanced phase shift transmission lines (150, 155) have a common ground conductor connected to the additional node (145) of the balun (165). A phase-shifted balanced port (130) is thus provided by center conductors of these first and second unbalanced phase shift transmission lines (150, 155) when the other ends of these transmission lines are coupled to the balanced nodes of the balun (165) and the common ground conductor of these transmission lines is connected to the additional node (145) of the balun.

Abstract: A radio communication device includes a radio signal source (415) positioned in the first housing portion (101). A second housing portion (103) has a first end movably supported on the first housing portion such that the housing portions are reconfigurable between an extended position and a collapsed position. A dipole antenna (107) has a first arm (440) positioned in the first housing portion and a second arm (441) positioned in the second housing portion. A respective end of each of the arms is connected to the signal source. Plates (450, 451) are positioned on the first and second housing portions and connected to the antenna arms such that they are capacitively coupled when the housing portions are collapsed and are not coupled when the housing portions are extended.

Abstract: When a radio frequency (RF) circuit is integrated into a movable housing element of an electronic device one must consider the affects of the surrounding area when the RF circuit is in a functioning position. A preferred embodiment is a radiotelephone (100) having an antenna (105) integrated into a movable housing element (101). The antenna (105) has two functioning positions, an opened and a closed position. The antenna (105) is tuned for efficiency when the movable housing element (101) is in the opened position. When the movable housing element (101) is in the closed position, a first pair of conductive plates (107, 109) located in the movable housing element (101) and a second conductive plate (113) located in the second housing element (103) are positioned to retune the antenna (105) due to the detuning affects caused by the close proximity of other electronic components located in the second housing element (103).

Abstract: A printed circuit board antenna is provided which includes an electronic switch (38) whereby a single compact radiating structure consisting of a split dipole antenna (10) with associated balun structure (11) may be selectively driven in either of two modes to provide orthogonal polarization and pattern diversity: as a split dipole antenna with a quarter wave balun relying on the split dipole antenna (10) as the radiating element; or as a top-loaded monopole relying on the quarter wave balun structure (11) as the radiating element against a ground plane (12). Orthogonal polarization and pattern diversity are achieved as a result of the mutually perpendicular orientations of the split dipole antenna (10) and its integral balun structure (11).

Abstract: A manufacturably improved asymmetric stripline enhanced aperture coupler (10) is provided including a first non-transverse electromagnetic (non-TEM) field which couples an asymmetric stripline transmission line (22) to a coupling conductor (19) through a first aperture (17) in a first ground plane (16). The coupler (10) suppresses a second non-TEM field formed as an image on a second ground plane (15) by reducing the current flow on the second ground plane (15) using the asymmetric stripline transmission line (22) with increased coupling between a stripline conductor (12) and first ground plane (16) relative to coupling between stripline conductor (12) and second ground plane (15), particularly in the vicinity of the second non-TEM field using second aperture (14). The second non-TEM field is suppressed so as to enhance the coupling effect of the first non-TEM field between asymmetric stripline transmission line (22) and a coupling conductor (19).

Abstract: An antenna for an electronic apparatus is located in a flip element of the apparatus housing. A transformer, having a winding in the flip element and a winding in the housing couples electromagnetic energy across the hinge while impedance matching and performing a balun function.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, dual rectangular patch antenna system, and radio for providing isolation and diversity while eliminating the need for a diplexer or a second transmit/receive switch. The dual rectangular patch antenna system comprises a first rectangular patch antenna (202), a second rectangular patch antenna (204), and a switch (206). Receive path diversity is provided by switching between the first rectangular patch antenna (202) and the second rectangular patch antenna (204).

Abstract: An RF tagging system which provides a large number of potential identification codes without increasing the physical size of RF tags used therein includes a plurality of RF tags (20, 90, 140, 230, 250) and an external reader (200). Each RF tag includes at least one resonant circuit (22, 92, 142, 231, 251) which is resonant at any one of a plurality of different frequencies, a receiver (34, 102, 152,244, 264) for receiving an interrogation signal, and a control (36,104,154,246, 266) responsive to receipt of an interrogation signal for causing its at least one resonant circuit to be resonant at selected ones of the different frequencies in a predetermined time sequence corresponding to a predetermined identification code. The external reader includes a detector (216, 218, 220, 222) for detecting the selected resonant frequencies of the RF tags and a decoder (226) for decoding the time sequence of the selected resonant frequencies for recovering the predetermined identification code.

Abstract: The antenna coupling apparatus of the present invention couples an antenna, located in a hinged element (102) of a wireless communication device, to the receiver (401) of the device. In the preferred embodiment, the communication device is a radiotelephone. The coupling is achieved without contact or flexible cable by parallel plate capacitors (201 and 202) in the hinge of the communication device. The capacitors (201 and 202) additionally act as a matching network for the antenna.