Abstract: An RF source system and method including an antenna system receiving RF signals including radio signal waveforms communicated between a target device and a second device, the antenna system comprising at least one multiport antenna having a plurality of ports and having an associated antenna system manifold which provides complex output numbers representative of the set of complex voltages from the plurality of ports in the antenna system. The system also includes an RF receiver system configured to receive signals from the plurality of ports and a processing system programmed to determine a direction to the target device based on the received RF signals from the plurality of ports and the antenna system manifold.

Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting a tractor-trailer electrical cable to a truck tractor or a trailer electrical system includes a housing defining an interior space and having a mounting flange extending radially therefrom at a head end, at least one locking tab at the head end, and a wall dividing the interior space into a head end space and a foot end space, the wall having a plurality of holes in an array, a plurality of terminal pins secured against movement in the holes in the wall and extending from the foot end space into the head end space and a connector body having an outer wall configured to slide into the head end space of the housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting a tractor-trailer electrical cable to a truck tractor or a trailer electrical system includes a housing defining an interior space and having a mounting flange extending radially therefrom at a head end, at least one locking tab at the head end, and a wall dividing the interior space into a head end space and a foot end space, the wall having a plurality of holes in an array, a plurality of terminal pins secured against movement in the holes in the wall and extending from the foot end space into the head end space and a connector body having an outer wall configured to slide into the head end space of the housing.

Abstract: A transceiver 400 is provided in an ultrawide bandwidth device, which includes an antenna 110, a transmitter circuit 145, and a receiver circuit 165. A transmitter amplifier 440 is provided between the antenna 110 and the transmitter circuit 145, and is configured to have an operational transmitter output impedance when the transceiver 400 is in a transmit mode and an isolation transmitter output impedance when the transceiver 400 is in a receive mode. A receiver amplifier 460 is provided between the antenna 110 and the receiver circuit 165, and is configured to have an operational receiver input impedance when the transceiver 400 is in a receive mode and an isolation receiver input impedance when the transceiver 400 is in a transmit mode. The isolation transmitter output impedance is greater than the operational receiver input impedance, and the isolation receiver input impedance is greater than the operational transmitter output impedance.

Abstract: A method (600) for controlling a transmit power of an interface module (230) is provided. The method includes generating a transmit power code at a power code generator (240) (610); receiving the transmit power code at the interface module (620); receiving control signals at the interface module (650); and generating a transmit signal at a transmitter circuit (410) in the interface module based on the control signals and the transmit power code (660). In this method, the power level of the transmit signal is controlled by the transmit power code, and the transmitter circuit and the power code generator are formed on separate circuit elements.

Abstract: A method is provided for estimating a frequency offset value. This method includes: receiving a signal from the transmitting device at the receiving device, the received signal having a transmitter frequency (510); generating a local signal at the receiving device, the local signal having a starting frequency (520); comparing a received signal phase and a local signal phase to determine an adjusted error signal representing a phase difference between the received signal and the local signal (530); adjusting a current frequency of the local signal from the starting frequency to the transmitting frequency over a time period (540); integrating the adjusted error signal over the time period to generate an integrated error signal (550); and filtering the integrated error signal to generate a frequency difference estimate indicative of the frequency difference between the transmitter frequency and the starting frequency (560).

Abstract: A circuit (100) is provided for notching an incoming wireless signal. The circuit comprises: a notching mechanism (110) for receiving an incoming signal and generating a notched signal having reduced power at the notch frequency (320), the notch frequency being adjustable in response to a notching control signal; a signal parameter detector (165, 170, 175, 180, 185) for detecting a signal parameter of the notched signal (325); a controller (155) for receiving the signal parameter and for generating the notching control signal (315), the controller being configured to vary the signal parameter within a notching control signal range (340); and a memory (160) for storing the signal parameter and the notching control signal received from the controller in a notching database (330). The controller is configured to analyze the notching database to determine an optimal notching control signal to achieve a desired level of signal performance (345).

Abstract: An antenna (100) is provided. The antenna includes: a first ground element (105); a first driven element (110) formed from a planar piece of conductive material, the first driven element being configured to transmit and receive wireless signals, the first driven element including a physical slot (130); a conductive line (135) formed in the physical slot such that the conductive line is separated from the first driven element by a gap (G) filled with non-conductive material, the conductive line having a line impedance that is a function of an effective line width of the conductive line, and an effective gap width of a gap between the conductive line and the first driven element; and a signal line (120) configured to send and receive signals to and from the conductive line.

Abstract: A method (1300) is provided for generating one or more waveforms (130, 140). The method includes: generating a first toggle signal (1130, 1330) in response to a clock signal (1110), the first toggle signal having one of a first positive shape, a null shape, and a first negative shape for each cycle of the clock signal; multiplying the first toggle signal by a first coefficient signal to create a first intermediate signal (1440); generating a second toggle signal (1140, 1330) in response to the clock signal, the second toggle signal having one of a second positive shape, the null shape, and a second negative shape for each cycle of the clock signal; multiplying the second toggle signal by a second coefficient signal to create a second intermediate signal (1440); and generating a first output signal (1170) by adding the first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal together (1350).

Abstract: A method (700, 1100) and apparatus (300) are provided in a receiver for applying a variable gain to a received signal including a transmitted codeword in accordance with an Ultra Wideband (UWB) protocol. A first signal is generated and input to a selectable gain stage including a series of selectable 0 dB and 9 dB gain elements (302-305). The first signal includes the received signal mixed with a local oscillator signal modified according to a reference codeword. A gain value is selected from the selectable gain stage to amplify the first signal and form a second signal. An output signal is generated by combining the second signal and the modified local oscillator signal.

Abstract: An ultra wideband direct sequence code division multiple access (UWB DS-CDMA) (101) transmitter is provided. It includes a first multiplier (125) receiving two input signals, where the input signals are selected from a multi-level code signal (117), a transmit data signal (123), and a radio frequency (RF) center frequency signal (121), and responsive to the two input signals, generating a combined signal (127). Further included is a network (119) receiving a code-clock signal (113) aligned with the multi-level signal (117), multiplying the frequency of the code-clock signal (113) by a factor, and responsive thereto, producing the RF center frequency signal (121). Also provided is a second multiplier (129) receiving the combined signal (127) and the other of the input signals (117, 123, 121), and responsive thereto, generating an output signal (131).

Abstract: A method is provided for generating a multiple band ultrawide bandwidth signal. In this method, an ultrawide bandwidth devices provides a first reference signal having a first reference frequency, and a second reference signal having a second reference frequency that is different from the first reference frequency. The device generates a first ultrawide bandwidth signal based on the first reference signal, and a second ultrawide bandwidth signal based on the second reference signal, creating two separate frequency bands. These two signals can be generated form the same base clock signal, allowing for significantly simpler implementation and modification.

Abstract: A method is provided for transmitting data. A first device (121) generates a first signal (320) having a first duty cycle, comprising a first gated-on portion (323) and a first gated-off portion (363) in a time slot (260); and a second device (125) generates a second signal (330) having second duty cycle, comprising a second gated-on portion (333) and a second gated-off portion (363) in the same time slot (260). The first gated-on portion (323) is generated during a first segment of the time slot (260) and the first gated-off portion (363) is generated during a second segment of the time slot (260), while the second gated-on portion (333) is generated during the second segment and the second gated-off portion (363) is generated during the first segment. Media access control (MAC) can be used to further define positions within time slots (250) and provide error correction, power control, and the like. A preamble (860) can be transmitted at an increased power level to facilitate acquisition.

Abstract: An ultra-wide band (UWB) waveform generator and encoder for use in a UWB digital communication system. The UWB waveform is made up of a sequence of shaped wavelets. The waveform generator produces multi-amplitude, multi-phase wavelets that are time-constrained, zero mean, and can be orthogonal in phase, yet still have a ?10 dB power spectral bandwidth that is larger than the frequency of the peak of the power spectrum In one embodiment, the wavelets are bi-phase wavelets. The encoder multiplies each data bit by an n-bit identifying code, (e.g., a user code), resulting in a group of wavelets corresponding to each data bit. The identifying codeword is passed onto the UWB waveform generator for generation of a UWB waveform that can be transmitted via an antenna.

Abstract: A method is provided for receiving a data frame in an ultrawide bandwidth network. In this method, a device receives an ultrawide bandwidth signal containing a data frame. The device then performs an acquisition operation during a first preamble in the data frame, and identifies a marker after the first preamble that indicates that the first preamble has ended. After this, the device performs a signal processing operation during a second preamble in the data frame. After the training, the device then receives a header in the data frame, and then receives a payload in the data frame. By having a marker between the two preambles, this method provides a receiving device with critical information regarding the timing of the preamble section of a frame.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for authenticating a new device in a wireless network using an authentication device. First, the new device estimates the distance between the new device and the authenticating device as a first distance measurement, and sends the first distance measurement to the authentication device. The authentication device then estimates the distance between the new device and the authenticating device as a second distance measurement. The authentication device then evaluates the first and second distance measurements to determine if they meet authentication criteria and sends authentication data to the new device only if the first and second distance measurements meet the authentication criteria. These criteria can be that they do not differ by more than a set error value or that they both are below a set maximum value.

Abstract: A mono-cycle generating circuit includes a multiplexer, a pulse generating circuit, and a buffer circuit. The multiplexer receives data of a logical 1 or a logical 0, determines whether to generate a positive mono-cycle or a negative mono-cycle, based upon the data, and outputs clock signals varying in time based upon the data. The pulse generating circuit is coupled to the multiplexer, receives the clock signals and generates a first series of pulses including an up-pulse preceding a down-pulse, or a second series of pulses including a down-pulse preceding an up-pulse, in response to the clock signals received by the multiplexer. The buffer circuit is coupled to the pulse generating circuit and includes a switch circuit and a common mode buffer. The switch circuit generates the positive mono-cycle or the negative mono-cycle, based upon whether the first series of pulses is received from the pulse generating circuit or the second series of pulses is received from the pulse generating circuit.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device is provided. The integrated circuit includes an integrated circuit chip (110) having a chip input/output element (240); a packaging component (220) having a package input/output element (270); two or more connection elements (260) for connecting the chip input/output element with the package input/output element; and a protective layer (290) covering the integrated circuit chip, the two or more connection elements, and a portion of the packaging such that the package input/output element is uncovered. The two or more connection elements are configured to provide a set input/output impedance at the package input/output element. This is accomplished by considering the inductive and capacitive properties of each connection element, and selecting an appropriate number and orientation for the one or more connection elements.

Abstract: A method is provided for offsetting a reference frequency of a quadrature reference clock signal. A quadrature reference clock (110) generates the quadrature reference clock signal at the reference frequency, while a quadrature variable offset clock (130) generates a quadrature clock signal at a base offset frequency based on a base offset value it receives from a control circuit (560). The base offset value can be determined in many ways, including reading it from a local memory (910) or receiving it from a remote device (1010). A polyphase mixer (140) performs a polyphase mixing operation between the quadrature reference clock signal and the offset clock signal to generate an agile clock signal having an agile clock frequency equal to the reference frequency plus the base offset frequency. If desired, the method can revise the offset frequency based on actual conditions and determine a corresponding revised offset value (920, 1020).

Abstract: In an input/output circuit (200), a differential balun (250) is provided that has first and second balun inputs and first and second balun outputs. An antenna (230) is connected to the first and second balun outputs. A differential amplifier (220) has one output connected to the first balun input, and a second output connected to the second balun input, while a single-ended amplifier (110) has its input connected to the first balun input. A grounding switch (240) is connected between the second balun input and ground. During a transmit mode the grounding switch (240) is open, the differential amplifier (220) is turned on, and the single-ended amplifier (110) is turned off. During a receive mode the grounding switch (240) is closed, the differential amplifier (220) is turned off, and the single-ended amplifier (110) is turned on.