Abstract: A power converting system that includes: a rectifier configured to convert an input voltage into a output voltage and including an output node that is coupled to floating ground; a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier coupled to the rectifier and configured to generate a load voltage based on an RF clock and the output voltage; a detector coupled to the RF power amplifier and configured to detect the load voltage of the RF power amplifier; an integrator coupled to the detector and configured to generate a direct current (DC) voltage based on the detected load voltage; and a controller coupled to the integrator and configured to, based on the DC voltage, generate a control signal to adjust one or more features of the RF power amplifier is disclosed.

Abstract: A power converting system that includes: a rectifier configured to convert an input voltage into a output voltage and including an output node that is coupled to floating ground; a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier coupled to the rectifier and configured to generate a load voltage based on an RF clock and the output voltage; a detector coupled to the RF power amplifier and configured to detect the load voltage of the RF power amplifier; an integrator coupled to the detector and configured to generate a direct current (DC) voltage based on the detected load voltage; and a controller coupled to the integrator and configured to, based on the DC voltage, generate a control signal to adjust one or more features of the RF power amplifier is disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for heating an object 9 that includes an absorbed medium. A method embodiment comprises: placing the object 9 including the medium into an enclosure 16; initiating a heating process by subjecting the object 9 and medium to a capacitive AC electrical field generated by an RF power source 2 at a single low frequency; controlling the heating process by taking real time measurements; and making real time adjustments to the RF power source 2 in response to the real time measurements. The object 9 substantially absorbs the medium in a first “cool” state, and therefore has a maximum weight in the first “cool” state. The object 9 is substantially free from the medium in a second “heated” state, due to substantial release of the medium from the object 9. The released medium is evaporated during the heating process. The heating process is completed when the object 9 is substantially transitioned into the second “heated” state.

Abstract: A method for RF dielectric heating an object having a variable weight including a medium is provided The method comprises: (A) placing the object having the variable weight including the medium into an enclosure; (B) adding an ionic substance to the medium; (C) initiating a heating process by subjecting the medium including the object to a variable AC electrical field; and (D) controlling the heating process. The method further comprises using an air flow having an ambient temperature, or being heated before getting into the enclosure, to carry away the evaporated medium from the enclosure.

Abstract: A method for heating an object having a variable weight that includes a medium is provided. The method comprises: (A) placing the object having the variable weight including medium into an enclosure; (B) initiating a heating process by subjecting medium including the object having the variable weight to a variable AC electrical field; and (C) controlling the heating process. The object has substantially absorbed medium in a first “cool” state and therefore includes a maximum weight in the first “cool” state due to absorption of medium. The object is substantially free from medium in a second “heated” state due to substantial release of medium from the object, wherein the released medium is evaporated during the heating process. The heating process is completed when the object is substantially transitioned into the second “heated” state. The method further comprises using an air flow having an ambient temperature inside the enclosure to carry away the evaporated medium from the enclosure.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for heating an object 9 that includes an absorbed medium. A method embodiment comprises: placing the object 9 including the medium into an enclosure 16; initiating a heating process by subjecting the object 9 and medium to a capacitive AC electrical field generated by an RF power source 2 at a single low frequency; controlling the heating process by taking real time measurements; and making real time adjustments to the RF power source 2 in response to the real time measurements. The object 9 substantially absorbs the medium in a first “cool” state, and therefore has a maximum weight in the first “cool” state. The object 9 is substantially free from the medium in a second “heated” state, due to substantial release of the medium from the object 9. The released medium is evaporated during the heating process. The heating process is completed when the object 9 is substantially transitioned into the second “heated” state.

Abstract: A method for heating a medium that includes an object having a variable weight is provided. The method comprises (A) placing medium including an object having variable weight into a variable enclosure having adjustable dimensions; (B) initiating a heating process by subjecting the medium including the object to a variable AC electrical field; (C) substantially continuously measuring an impedance of medium including the object during the heating process; (D) adjusting dimensions of said variable enclosure to optimize the heating process; (E) adjusting parameters of the variable AC electrical field to optimize the heating process; and (F) controlling the heating process.

Abstract: A method for RF dielectric heating an object having a variable weight including a medium is provided The method comprises: (A) placing the object having the variable weight including the medium into an enclosure; (B) adding an ionic substance to the medium; (C) initiating a heating process by subjecting the medium including the object to a variable AC electrical field; and (D) controlling the heating process. The method further comprises using an air flow having an ambient temperature, or being heated before getting into the enclosure, to carry away the evaporated medium from the enclosure.

Abstract: A method for heating an object having a variable weight that includes a medium is provided. The method comprises: (A) placing the object having the variable weight including medium into an enclosure; (B) initiating a heating process by subjecting medium including the object having the variable weight to a variable AC electrical field; and (C) controlling the heating process. The object has substantially absorbed medium in a first “cool” state and therefore includes a maximum weight in the first “cool” state due to absorption of medium. The object is substantially free from medium in a second “heated” state due to substantial release of medium from the object, wherein the released medium is evaporated during the heating process. The heating process is completed when the object is substantially transitioned into the second “heated” state. The method further comprises using an air flow having an ambient temperature inside the enclosure to carry away the evaporated medium from the enclosure.

Abstract: A method for heating a medium that includes an object having a variable weight is provided. The method comprises (A) placing medium including an object having variable weight into a variable enclosure having adjustable dimensions; (B) initiating a heating process by subjecting the medium including the object to a variable AC electrical field; (C) substantially continuously measuring an impedance of medium including the object during the heating process; (D) adjusting dimensions of said variable enclosure to optimize the heating process; (E) adjusting parameters of the variable AC electrical field to optimize the heating process; and (F) controlling the heating process.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and system for distributing multiband wireless communications signals. Downlink RF signals in a plurality of downlink frequency bands are received and then combined into a combined downlink RF signal at the main unit. The combined downlink RF signal is subsequently split into multiple downlink RF-parts, which are converted to multiple downlink optical signals and optically transmitted to the remote units. At each remote unit, a delivered downlink optical signal is first converted back to a downlink RF-part which is subsequently separated into a plurality of downlink RF-groups by frequency band. Each downlink RF-group is individually conditioned (e.g., filtered and amplified). The individual-conditioned downlink RF-groups are then combined and transmitted to a dedicated downlink antenna.

Abstract: An RF power amplifier linearizer uses a switched distortion power-minimization routine, or simultaneous correlation and power-minimization routines to adjust operational parameters of a vector modulator and a predistortion operator feeding the RF amplifier. The switched power-minimization routine controls the vector modulator, and then adjusts coefficients of the predistorter using the same power minimization routine. The continuous correlation and power minimization routine adjusts the predistortion unit by means of a power minimization unit, and uses a correlator based control mechanism to control the vector modulator simultaneously with the power minimization routine's control of the predistortion unit.

Abstract: The unwanted influence a noise-source environment upon a modulated (e.g., FSK-encoded) magnetic field-based communication system is diminished by a non-modulated AC magnetic field communication scheme that uses a demodulatorless magnetic field detector. When installed in a tag to be tracked by a geolocation system, the demodulatorless detector responds when the tag comes within a prescribed proximity of the field generator producing the non-modulated AC magnetic field. The received signal is downconverted to baseband and processed to detect a valid AC magnetic field tone and indicate whether the tag is within a prescribed proximity of the AC magnetic field source.

Abstract: The unwanted influence a noise-source environment upon a modulated (e.g., FSK-encoded) magnetic field-based communication system is diminished by a non-modulated AC magnetic field communication scheme that uses a demodulatorless magnetic field detector. When installed in a tag to be tracked by a geolocation system, the demodulatorless detector responds when the tag comes within a prescribed proximity of the field generator producing the non-modulated AC magnetic field. The received signal is downconverted to baseband and processed to detect a valid AC magnetic field tone and indicate whether the tag is within a prescribed proximity of the AC magnetic field source.

Abstract: A closed loop, active cancellation technique (ACT)-based RF power amplifier linearization architecture injects a pilot tone as a ‘pseudo distortion’ signal into signal paths through first and second matched RF amplifiers, and a set of power minimization loops are closed around the RF amplifier pair. The power minimizing control loops control a set of vector modulators such that both the injected pilot tone and intermodulation distortion products are canceled, while RF carrier components constructively sum in the composite output of the two RF amplifiers.

Abstract: A communication system provides robust, short range radio communications between battery operated devices by using ON-OFF-KEYED (OOK) modulation and either frequency shift keyed (FSK) modulation or pulse position/width modulation (PPM/PWM), in combination with a prescribed communications protocol. The system transmitter requires no local oscillator and is only active during actual communication, so that its current drain is not a significant factor in total battery life. Also, the receiver is active for only a small fraction of time. The need for large, complex and expensive filters is minimized by using a single IF band-pass filter in active form or passively in the form of a low cost ceramic filter such as those used in inexpensive transistor radios. The digital transmitter and receiver portions of the system are implemented by low cost, and ultra low power CMOS logic.

Abstract: A closed loop, active cancellation technique (ACT)-based RF power amplifier linearization architecture injects a pilot tone as a ‘pseudo distortion’ signal into signal paths through first and second matched RF amplifiers, and a set of power minimization loops are closed around the RF amplifier pair. The power minimizing control loops control a set of vector modulators such that both the injected pilot tone and intermodulation distortion products are canceled, while RF carrier components constructively sum in the composite output of the two RF amplifiers.

Abstract: An asset management radio location system uses time-of-arrival differentiation for random and repetitive spread spectrum, short duration pulse `blinks` from object-attached tags, to provide a practical, continuous identification of the location of each and every object within an environment of interest, irrespective whether the object is stationary or moving. Correlation-based RF processors determine which signals received by tag transmission readers are first-to-arrive signals as transmitted from any blinking tag, and an object location processor carries out time-of-arrival differentiation of these first-to-arrive transmissions from any blinking tag to determine where the respective object is located within the environment. A low power interrogation wand may be employed to refine the location of an object by a user programmed transmission-response exchange between the wand and the tag associated with the object of interest.

Abstract: Linearity of an RF/microwave power amplifier is enhanced by an amplitude and phase distortion correction mechanism based upon signal envelope feedback, that operates directly on the RF signal passing through the power amplifier. A phase-amplitude controller responds to changes in gain and phase through the RF/microwave power amplifier signal path caused by changes in RF input power, DC power supply voltages, time, temperature and other variables, and controls the operation of a gain and phase adjustment circuit, so as to maintain constant gain and transmission phase through the RF/microwave power amplifier.

Abstract: Linearity of an RF/microwave power amplifier is enhanced by an amplitude and phase distortion correction mechanism based upon signal envelope feedback, that operates directly on the RF signal passing through the power amplifier. A phase-amplitude controller responds to changes in gain and phase through the RF/microwave power amplifier signal path caused by changes in RF input power, DC power supply voltages, time, temperature and other variables, and controls the operation of a gain and phase adjustment circuit, so as to maintain constant gain and transmission phase through the RF/microwave power amplifier.