Patents by Inventor Gary J. Ballantyne

Gary J. Ballantyne 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).

  • Publication number: 20150055514
    Abstract: A transmitter circuit is described. The transmitter circuit includes a first local oscillator that generates a first frequency equal to a duplex frequency. The transmitter circuit also includes a second local oscillator that generates a second frequency equal to a receive frequency. The transmitter circuit further includes a first mixer that combines the first frequency with a first input signal. The transmitter circuit also includes a first feedback loop. The first feedback loop includes a second mixer that combines the second frequency with a transmit signal and a first filter and a first adder that combines an output of the first mixer with an output of the first filter. The transmitter circuit also includes a third local oscillator that generates a third frequency equal to the receive frequency. The transmitter circuit further includes a third mixer that combines the third frequency with an output of the first adder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Gary J. Ballantyne
  • Patent number: 8963611
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments disclosed are directed to power and impedance measurement circuits that may be used to measure power and/or impedance are described. A measurement circuit may include a sensor and a computation unit. The sensor may sense (i) a first voltage signal across a series circuit coupled to a load to obtain a first sensed signal and (ii) a second voltage signal at a designated end of the series circuit to obtain a second sensed signal. The sensor may mix (i) a first version of the first sensed signal with a first version of the second sensed signal to obtain a first sensor output and (ii) a second version of the first sensed signal with a second version of the second sensed signal to obtain a second sensor output. The computation unit may determine the impedance and/or delivered power at the designated end of the series circuit based on the sensor outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Puay Hoe See, Gary J. Ballantyne, Gurkanwal Singh Sahota, Aristotele Hadjichristos, Alberto Cicalini
  • Patent number: 8880010
    Abstract: A transmitter circuit is described. The transmitter circuit includes a first local oscillator that generates a first frequency equal to a duplex frequency. The transmitter circuit also includes a second local oscillator that generates a second frequency equal to a receive frequency. The transmitter circuit further includes a first mixer that combines the first frequency with a first input signal. The transmitter circuit also includes a first feedback loop. The first feedback loop includes a second mixer that combines the second frequency with a transmit signal and a first filter and a first adder that combines an output of the first mixer with an output of the first filter. The transmitter circuit also includes a third local oscillator that generates a third frequency equal to the receive frequency. The transmitter circuit further includes a third mixer that combines the third frequency with an output of the first adder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Gary J. Ballantyne
  • Patent number: 8588720
    Abstract: Techniques for decimating a first periodic signal to generate a second periodic signal. In an exemplary embodiment, the first periodic signal is divided by a configurable integer ratio divider, and the output of the divider is delayed by a configurable fractional delay. The configurable fractional delay may be noise-shaped using, e.g., sigma-delta modulation techniques to spread the quantization noise of the fractional delay over a wide bandwidth. In an exemplary embodiment, the first and second periodic signals may be used to generate the transmit (TX) and receive (RX) local oscillator (LO) signals for a communications transceiver from a single phase-locked loop (PLL) output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorproated
    Inventors: Gary J. Ballantyne, Jifeng Geng, Bo Sun
  • Patent number: 8531219
    Abstract: A method of performing modulation of a data signal at a phase-locked loop (PLL) includes generating, at an upper frequency port of the PLL, a digital loop signal based at least in part on the data signal. The method further includes differentiating the digital loop signal to generate a digital input signal and converting the digital input signal to an analog current signal. A first feedback signal is generated based on the analog current signal. The method further includes generating, at a lower frequency port of the PLL, a second feedback signal based on the first feedback signal and further based on the data signal. According to further embodiments, apparatuses and a computer-readable medium are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeremy D. Dunworth, Gary J. Ballantyne, Bhushan S. Asuri, Jifeng Geng, Gurkanwal S. Sahota
  • Publication number: 20130229212
    Abstract: A method of performing modulation of a data signal at a phase-locked loop (PLL) includes generating, at an upper frequency port of the PLL, a digital loop signal based at least in part on the data signal. The method further includes differentiating the digital loop signal to generate a digital input signal and converting the digital input signal to an analog current signal. A first feedback signal is generated based on the analog current signal. The method further includes generating, at a lower frequency port of the PLL, a second feedback signal based on the first feedback signal and further based on the data signal. According to further embodiments, apparatuses and a computer-readable medium are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeremy D. Dunworth, Gary J. Ballantyne, Bhushan S. Asuri, Jifeng Geng, Gurkanwal S. Sahota
  • Patent number: 8446191
    Abstract: A phase locked loop (PLL) device includes a digital differentiator configured to differentiate a digital loop signal to at least partially compensate for the integration of an analog current signal by an analog integrator. A digital to analog converter (DAC) includes a current source output stage that generates the analog current signal based on an digital input signal. The analog integrator integrates the analog current signal to generate a voltage control signal for controlling a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeremy D. Dunworth, Gary J. Ballantyne, Bhushan S. Asuri, Jifeng Geng, Gurkanwal S. Sahota
  • Patent number: 8339165
    Abstract: A phase locked loop (PLL) device is configurable in an analog phase locked loop and a hybrid analog-digital phase locked loop. In an analog mode, at least a phase detector, an analog loop filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), are connected to form an analog loop. In a digital mode, at least the phase detector, the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a time to digital converter (TDC), a digital loop filter and a digital to analog converter (DAC) are connected to form the hybrid digital-analog loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeremy D. Dunworth, Gary J. Ballantyne, Bhushan S. Asuri
  • Patent number: 8098103
    Abstract: Techniques for cancelling a disturbance signal from a PLL output signal. In an aspect, a cancellation signal is combined with the signal input to a VCO or DCO in the PLL. In a further aspect, the appropriate cancellation signal is derived by analyzing one or more signals within the PLL. The signals within the PLL may be correlated against one or more disturbance signal templates, such as a sinusoid having a known frequency, to derive one or more correlation coefficients. The coefficients may be applied to weight one or more disturbance synthesis functions to generate the cancellation signal. Further aspects provide for joint analysis, synthesis, and cancellation of signals having unknown frequency from the PLL output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel F. Filipovic, Gary J. Ballantyne, Jifeng Geng
  • Patent number: 8076960
    Abstract: A digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) supporting two-point modulation is described. In one design, the DPLL includes a phase-to-digital converter and a loop filter operating in a loop, a first processing unit for a lowpass modulation path, and a second processing unit for a highpass modulation path. The first processing unit receives an input modulating signal and provides a first modulating signal to a first point inside the loop after the phase-to-digital converter and prior to the loop filter. The second processing unit receives the input modulating signal and provides a second modulating signal to a second point inside the loop after the loop filter. The first processing unit may include an accumulator that accumulates the input modulating signal to convert frequency to phase. The second processing unit may include a scaling unit that scales the input modulating signal with a variable gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jifeng Geng, Gary J. Ballantyne, Daniel F. Filipovic
  • Publication number: 20110158346
    Abstract: A transmitter circuit is described. The transmitter circuit includes a first local oscillator that generates a first frequency equal to a duplex frequency. The transmitter circuit also includes a second local oscillator that generates a second frequency equal to a receive frequency. The transmitter circuit further includes a first mixer that combines the first frequency with a first input signal. The transmitter circuit also includes a first feedback loop. The first feedback loop includes a second mixer that combines the second frequency with a transmit signal and a first filter and a first adder that combines an output of the first mixer with an output of the first filter. The transmitter circuit also includes a third local oscillator that generates a third frequency equal to the receive frequency. The transmitter circuit further includes a third mixer that combines the third frequency with an output of the first adder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Gary J. Ballantyne
  • Publication number: 20110143689
    Abstract: Techniques for decimating a first periodic signal to generate a second periodic signal. In an exemplary embodiment, the first periodic signal is divided by a configurable integer ratio divider, and the output of the divider is delayed by a configurable fractional delay. The configurable fractional delay may be noise-shaped using, e.g., sigma-delta modulation techniques to spread the quantization noise of the fractional delay over a wide bandwidth. In an exemplary embodiment, the first and second periodic signals may be used to generate the transmit (TX) and receive (RX) local oscillator (LO) signals for a communications transceiver from a single phase-locked loop (PLL) output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary J. Ballantyne, Jifeng Geng, Bo Sun
  • Publication number: 20110133794
    Abstract: A phase locked loop (PLL) device includes a digital differentiator configured to differentiate a digital loop signal to at least partially compensate for the integration of an analog current signal by an analog integrator. A digital to analog converter (DAC) includes a current source output stage that generates the analog current signal based on an digital input signal. The analog integrator integrates the analog current signal to generate a voltage control signal for controlling a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: JEREMY D. DUNWORTH, GARY J. BALLANTYNE, BHUSHAN S. ASURI, JIFENG GENG, GURKANWAL S. SAHOTA
  • Publication number: 20110133799
    Abstract: A phase locked loop (PLL) device is configurable in an analog phase locked loop and a hybrid analog-digital phase locked loop. In an analog mode, at least a phase detector, an analog loop filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), are connected to form an analog loop. In a digital mode, at least the phase detector, the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a time to digital converter (TDC), a digital loop filter and a digital to analog converter (DAC) are connected to form the hybrid digital-analog loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeremy D. Dunworth, Gary J. Ballantyne, Bhushan S. Asuri
  • Publication number: 20100327932
    Abstract: Techniques for improving stability of a feedback system are described. In an exemplary design, the feedback system includes a forward path and a feedback path. The forward path receives an input signal and a rotated feedback signal and provides an output signal having a phase shift. The feedback path receives the output signal, generates a feedback signal, and rotates the feedback signal to obtain the rotated feedback signal having at least part of the phase shift removed. In another exemplary design, the feedback system includes a forward path and a feedback loop. The forward path receives a combined signal and provides an output signal having a phase shift. The feedback loop generates an error signal based on an input signal and the output signal, generates the combined signal based on the error signal and the input signal, and performs phase rotation to remove at least part of the phase shift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Vladimir Aparin, Gary J. Ballantyne
  • Publication number: 20100321086
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments disclosed are directed to power and impedance measurement circuits that may be used to measure power and/or impedance are described. A measurement circuit may include a sensor and a computation unit. The sensor may sense (i) a first voltage signal across a series circuit coupled to a load to obtain a first sensed signal and (ii) a second voltage signal at a designated end of the series circuit to obtain a second sensed signal. The sensor may mix (i) a first version of the first sensed signal with a first version of the second sensed signal to obtain a first sensor output and (ii) a second version of the first sensed signal with a second version of the second sensed signal to obtain a second sensor output. The computation unit may determine the impedance and/or delivered power at the designated end of the series circuit based on the sensor outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Puay Hoe See, Gary J. Ballantyne, Gurkanwal Singh Sahota, Aristotele Hadjichristos, Alberto Cicalini
  • Publication number: 20100315169
    Abstract: Techniques for cancelling a disturbance signal from a PLL output signal. In an aspect, a cancellation signal is combined with the signal input to a VCO or DCO in the PLL. In a further aspect, the appropriate cancellation signal is derived by analyzing one or more signals within the PLL. The signals within the PLL may be correlated against one or more disturbance signal templates, such as a sinusoid having a known frequency, to derive one or more correlation coefficients. The coefficients may be applied to weight one or more disturbance synthesis functions to generate the cancellation signal. Further aspects provide for joint analysis, synthesis, and cancellation of signals having unknown frequency from the PLL output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel F. Filipovic, Gary J. Ballantyne, Jifeng Geng
  • Publication number: 20100277211
    Abstract: A digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) supporting two-point modulation is described. In one design, the DPLL includes a phase-to-digital converter and a loop filter operating in a loop, a first processing unit for a lowpass modulation path, and a second processing unit for a highpass modulation path. The first processing unit receives an input modulating signal and provides a first modulating signal to a first point inside the loop after the phase-to-digital converter and prior to the loop filter. The second processing unit receives the input modulating signal and provides a second modulating signal to a second point inside the loop after the loop filter. The first processing unit may include an accumulator that accumulates the input modulating signal to convert frequency to phase. The second processing unit may include a scaling unit that scales the input modulating signal with a variable gain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jifeng Geng, Gary J. Ballantyne, Daniel F. Filipovic
  • Patent number: 7031678
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to techniques for voice and data transmission from a wireless communication device, such as mobile telephone handset. In accordance with the disclosure, a wireless communication provides a hybrid coupler that permits voice and data calls to be combined for transmission over a common air interface. When increased transmit power is required, the wireless communication device prioritizes the voice call over the data call. In this case, the voice call is sent over both the voice output branch and the data output branch, taking advantage of the power amplifier in each output branch chain to achieve a greater overall transmit power for the voice transmission. In this manner, the mobile subscriber unit independently and simultaneously handles data and voice calls under ordinary circumstances, but drops the data call and combines the voice and data output branches for voice transmission when increased transmit power is required for the voice transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Qualcomm Inc.
    Inventor: Gary J. Ballantyne
  • Patent number: 6983024
    Abstract: A quadra-polar modulator that is simple to implement and also provides good noise performance. The quadra-polar modulator includes four amplitude modulators and a combiner. Each amplitude modulator modulates a respective carrier signal with a respective input signal to provide a respective output signal. The combiner then combines the four output signals from the four amplitude modulators to provide a modulated signal. Each amplitude modulator may be implemented with a switching amplifier, such as a supply modulated class E amplifier. Two input signals are obtained by summing separately an inphase (I) modulating signal and an inverted I modulating signal with an offset value. The other two input signals are obtained by summing separately a quadrature (Q) modulating signal and an inverted Q modulating signal with the offset value. The offset value can be selected based on the expected magnitude of the modulating signals. The four carrier signals are in quadrature to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Qualcomm Inc.
    Inventor: Gary J. Ballantyne