Abstract: The conductor for a given signal in an integrated circuit (IC) is shielded from electromagnetic coupling with one or more other, potentially noisy on-chip signals by shielding structure that essentially surrounds the signal conductor in a Faraday cage. In one embodiment, the signal conductor lies in the outermost metal layer in the IC. In that case, the shielding structure is a pair of adjacent shielding conductors lying on either side of the signal conductor within the outermost metal layer and a subtending shielding conductor lying in a metal layer below the signal conductor and the two adjacent conductors, where the subtending conductor is electrically connected to each of the adjacent conductors via interlevel interconnects, but there are no active components in the IC that draw current from the shielding conductors. When configured for signal processing, the three shielding conductors are connected either directly or indirectly to a quiet external reference.

Abstract: An integrated circuit has an output buffer circuit for driving voltage state transitions of a transmission line. An output transistor has a gate terminal for controlling an output voltage of the output transistor, which is applied at an output terminal to the transmission line. (A voltage state transition comprises changing the output voltage from a first state voltage to a second state voltage.) An impulse current driver injects charge into the gate terminal during an impulse phase at the beginning of the voltage state transition to rapidly bring the output transistor through its dead zone to the threshold of its active region. A slewing current driver provides a comparatively limited current to the gate terminal after the impulse phase to cause the output transistor to complete a substantially smooth voltage state transition.

Abstract: At least the power portion of the transmitter and the front end of the receiver of a base station of a wireless communication system are advantageously co-located with the antenna (or antennae), typically atop a tower or other elevated feature. Such co-location however exposes the electronics to lightning damage. This is avoided by placement of the electronics and antenna into lightning protection apparatus that is transparent to rf radiation during lightning-quiescent conditions but is a Faraday cage during a lightning strike, reverting to the transparent condition at the conclusion of the strike. This is achieved by placement of the electronics and antenna inside a housing that comprises a dielectric chamber filled with ionizable gas in contact with electrodes selected such that, during a lightning strike, current can flow between the electrodes.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating the family of PSK (phase shift keyed) modulations, which include BPSK (binary PSK), QPSK (quaternary PSK), MSK (minimum shift keying) and the like. The carrier is generated with the desired digital information already phase-modulated onto it by directly introducing a phase shift or delay onto the error path of a phase-locked loop. causing the phase-locked loop to create the phase modulation. The [proposed scheme differs from common practice approaches, which are usually implemented by linear synthesis (an AM technique); rather, it] invention employs direct nonlinear synthesis (an FM technique). The invention [yields good phase precision with arbitrary spectral shaping under the constraint of constant envelope signaling. It] permits the connection of the output of a simple, inexpensive VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) directly to a system's antenna without the need for intervening circuit elements such as phase splitters, mixers, and the like which is applicable to [.

Abstract: A track ball device includes a ball having a pattern of first conductive features and a socket into which the ball rotatably sits, the socket having a pattern of second conductive features. Also disclosed is a sensing array system for determining relative motion including a first substrate having a plurality of interstitially arranged electrodes provided thereon. A second substrate has a plurality of transfer electrodes provided thereon. The first and second substrates are movable relative to each other, and the plurality of interstitially arranged electrodes selectively operate as driving electrodes for providing a plurality of signals to the sensing array and as collecting electrodes for collecting signals capacitively transferred from the driving electrodes by the transfer electrodes. The sensing array is useful in a battery operated track ball device, a mouse or other device that must be able to determine relative motion over two degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A wireless terminal is disclosed comprising a first electro-acoustic transducer for converting a first acoustic signal to an uplink signal; a wireless transmitter capable of transmitting the uplink signal to a base station; a wireless receiver capable of receiving a downlink signal from the base station; a terminal processor for conditionally adding a portion of the uplink signal to the downlink signal while a first parameter is set and not adding the portion of the uplink signal to the downlink signal while the first parameter is reset; and a second electro-acoustic transducer for converting the downlink signal to a second acoustic signal. Another embodiment is disclosed that reduces the sidetone level of the terminal based on the power level of the envelope of the acoustic signal input at the microphone.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing detent-like tactile feedback to a user, comprising a shell, a rolling member rotatably provided within the shell, a motion sensing mechanism for determining displacement of the rolling member when the rolling member is rotated, at least one actuator situated within the shell and at least one brake member provided with respect to the at least one actuator, the at least one actuator retracting and extending the at least one brake member to selectively influence the rotation of the rolling member based on feedback from the embodying system.

Abstract: A three-dimensional photo mask is formed from a substrate having a first side and a three-dimensional side. A hologram is provided on the first side of the substrate. The three-dimensional side of the substrate has a photosensitive resist material provided thereon. The hologram includes information that defines features to be imaged onto the photosensitive resist material. A method and a system are disclosed for producing the three-dimensional mask.

Abstract: A three-dimensional photo mask is formed from a substrate having a first side and a three-dimensional side. A holograph is provided on the first side of the substrate. The three-dimensional side of the substrate has a photosensitive resist material provided thereon. The holograph includes information that defines features to be imaged onto the photosensitive resist material. A method and a system are disclosed for producing the three-dimensional mask.

Abstract: A radiotelephone wrist device includes a case having a transceiver and a strap attached to the case for fastening the device to a user's wrist. The strap has a top layer and a bottom layer. The top layer is attached to the bottom layer by a pivot mechanism which facilitates rotating at least a portion of the top layer with respect to the bottom layer. A microphone is located on the strap and electrically connected to the transceiver. A speaker is located at an end of the top layer of the strap and electrically connected to the transceiver. A first antenna is located in the bottom layer of the strap. A second antenna is located in the rotatable portion of the top layer of the strap.

Abstract: A radiotelephone wrist device includes a case having a transceiver and a strap attached to the case for fastening the device to a user's wrist. The strap has a top layer and a bottom layer in which the top layer is releasable from the bottom layer of the strap. A microphone is located on the strap and electrically connected to the transceiver. A speaker is located at an end of the top layer of the strap and electrically connected to the transceiver. A cradle for receiving the speaker is formed in the case. A sensor located beneath the cradle detects when the speaker is removed from the cradle.

Abstract: A frequency translated filter adapted for integration into a conventional monolithic integrated circuit arrangement. The filter includes an RF amplifier having a gain determining port; a one port, AF (audio frequency), frequency selective, gain determining immittance network; a forced-commutated bridge of bilateral switching elements interconnecting the immittance network and the gain affecting port of the amplifier, and an RF local oscillator for providing a commutating drive signal to the bridge. The action of the RF commutating bridge is to convert the voltage and current appearing at the gain affecting port of the RF amplifier to a low frequency at the terminals of the AF immittance network, and to reflect the immittance of the AF network back through the RF commutating bridge, translating it up again in frequency. The effect is to permit the use of AF frequency selective elements to render an amplifier frequency selective at radio frequencies.

Abstract: A radiotelephone device includes a case including a transceiver. A multilayer strap is attached to the case for fastening the device to a user's wrist. The multilayer strap has a top layer and a bottom layer. A microphone is electrically connected to the transceiver. A speaker is located at an end of the top layer of the strap and electrically connected to the transceiver. The speaker is located in a housing having a first surface substantially parallel to the top layer of the strap, and at least one other surface integrally connected to the first surface which is positioned at an angle with respect to the first surface. At least one sound port is located within the at least one other surface of the housing.

Abstract: A dual-clock, edge triggered, flip-flop circuit wherein one set of outputs responds to two independent inputs without giving rise to indeterminate states regardless of the combination of inputs comprising a first pair of gates (1-2 or 11-12) cross-coupled to form a first trigger flip-flop. A second pair of gates (7-8 or 17-18) are cross-coupled to form a second trigger flip-flop. A third pair of gates (4-5 or 14-15) are cross-coupled to form an output flip-flop having set and reset terminals and a pair of output terminals. A gate (3 or 13) is coupled from the output of the first trigger flip-flop to the set terminal of the output flip-flop, the input to the first trigger flip-flop also being coupled to the input of this latter gate. Another gate (6 or 16) is coupled from the output of the second trigger flip-flop to the reset terminal of the output flip-flop, the input to the second trigger flip-flop also being coupled to the input of this gate.

Abstract: A duplex signaling circuit for signaling with respect to a line circuit includes a resistance bridge hybrid (22, 27, 28, 32) having a modified resistance makeup to reduce power consumption and improve longitudinal current immunity without altering conjugacy between signaling transmission (12) and receiving (17) connections to the bridge. An electronic relay emulator (86), which is responsive to bridge hybrid output signals representing received line circuit signals, provides relative immunity to noise and to pulse splitting for thereby relieving a hybrid balancing impedance capacitance (33) of those functions so that a compromise capacitor value can be selected for balancing a relatively wide range of signaling line circuits. A user-stepped, successive approximation, adjustment process for the balancing impedance is implemented in the signaling circuit.

Abstract: A frequency multiplying system and method in which a time varying analog input signal is sampled and stored in a memory matrix at a predetermined rate. The signal thus stored is read out from the memory matrix at a different rate and reconstructed into a time varying analog signal. The storage rates and readout rates are controlled by a command signal generator including a master run-up generator run up at a first run-up rate and reset by the fundamental input frequency, the highest level at the output of the run-up generator being continually stored in a memory circuit. Slave run-up generators which cycle at frequencies corresponding to the storage and reading-out of the sampled information are reset upon coincidence of their levels with the level in the memory connected to the master run-up generator. The command signal generator may be in either digital or analog form employing either counters or integrators as run-up generators. The analog input signal may be processed by either digital or analog means.