Abstract: A variable configuration apparatus has components or sub-systems. At least some components (200 and 201) have mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) that enable the configuration of the apparatus to be varied by changing at least one of the relative orientation and position of those components or subsystems. These mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) incorporate wireless signal coupling elements (205 and 206) that cooperate to provide a wireless coupling which enables wireless coupling between the components. The wireless coupling may be used to transfer at least one of data and power between the components. The wireless signal coupling elements may be capacitive coupling elements that provide capacitive coupling between the components or sub-systems. In an example, the apparatus is a video camera and one component or sub-system is a display screen (201) and another component or sub-system is the main body (200) of the video camera (200).

Abstract: A variable configuration apparatus has components or sub-systems. At least some components (200 and 201) have mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) that enable the configuration of the apparatus to be varied by changing at least one of the relative orientation and position of those components or subsystems. These mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) incorporate wireless signal coupling elements (205 and 206) that cooperate to provide a wireless coupling which enables wireless coupling between the components. The wireless coupling may be used to transfer at least one of data and power between the components. The wireless signal coupling elements may be capacitive coupling elements that provide capacitive coupling between the components or sub-systems. In an example, the apparatus is a video camera and one component or sub-system is a display screen (201) and another component or sub-system is the main body (200) of the video camera (200).

Abstract: A variable configuration apparatus has components or sub-systems. At least some components (200 and 201) have mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) that enable the configuration of the apparatus to be varied by changing at least one of the relative orientation and position of those components or subsystems. These mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) incorporate wireless signal coupling elements (205 and 206) that cooperate to provide a wireless coupling which enables wireless coupling between the components. The wireless coupling may be used to transfer at least one of data and power between the components. The wireless signal coupling elements may be capacitive coupling elements that provide capacitive coupling between the components or sub-systems. In an example, the apparatus is a video camera and one component or sub-system is a display screen (201) and another component or sub-system is the main body (200) of the video camera (200).

Abstract: A communications device has a near field RF communicator (15) having a coupler (17) to couple with a coupler of a near field RF communicator or NFC communicator in near field range to enable communication of data between the communicators by modulation of a magnetic field, and a modulator (43) to modulate an RF signal in accordance with data to be communicated by the near field RF communicator. The device also has at least one secure element (31) separate from the near field RF communicator (15) to provide secure data storage for transaction data representing or relating to a transaction.

Abstract: A variable configuration apparatus has components or sub-systems. At least some components (200 and 201) have mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) that enable the configuration of the apparatus to be varied by changing at least one of the relative orientation and position of those components or subsystems. These mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) incorporate wireless signal coupling elements (205 and 206) that cooperate to provide a wireless coupling which enables wireless coupling between the components. The wireless coupling may be used to transfer at least one of data and power between the components. The wireless signal coupling elements may be capacitive coupling elements that provide capacitive coupling between the components or sub-systems. In an example, the apparatus is a video camera and one component or sub-system is a display screen (201) and another component or sub-system is the main body (200) of the video camera (200).

Abstract: The invention provides both a system, device and method for emulating a plurality of RF data storage devices in a single device, for example a hand held device such as a mobile phone. The system comprises a means for emulating a plurality of RF data storage devices each having a different identifier, control means for controlling the transmission simultaneously or sequentially of two or more of the identifiers in response to receipt of a signal from a reader, and means for transmitting simultaneously or sequentially two or more of the said identifiers. In one embodiment the transmission of the identifiers emulates the sequential transmission of two or more identifiers in accordance with a collision avoidance protocol. Alternatively or additionally the transmission of the identifiers emulates the simultaneous or sequential transmission of two or more different identifiers in accordance with a collision detection protocol.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a coupling device, comprising a substrate (1), a conductive layer (2) covering a first surface of said substrate (1), at least two electromagnetically coupled lines (3a, 3b) being provided opposite to said first surface and at least one thereof being covered by at least one cover layer (4, 5) wherein at least one capacitor (C1, C2, C3, C4) is connected between a first end of at least one of said at least two lines (3a, 3b) and said conductive layer (2). The at least one capacitor is a buried capacitor grounded in order to equalize unequal phase velocities otherwise degrading the performance of e.g. broadside coupled structures in an inhomogeneous substrate structure such as for example microstrips in a multilayer LTCC. Therefore the present invention enables coupling devices having a high performance and offering in that way the best of all possible design scenarios in terms of wideband performance, size and cost.

Abstract: Control circuitry for a transmitter comprises means for receiving a first plurality of signals at different frequencies at the same time; means for generating a second plurality of signals; means for reducing the frequency of the first plurality of signals by mixing the first plurality of signals with said second plurality of signals to provide a series of samples of said first plurality of signals, wherein each of said samples is separated in time; and means for adjusting a characteristic of signals to be transmitted dependent upon said samples.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a coupling device, comprising a substrate (1), a conductive layer (2) covering a first surface of said substrate (1), at least two electromagnetically coupled lines (3a, 3b) being provided opposite to said first surface and at least one thereof being covered by at least one cover layer (4, 5) wherein at least one capacitor (C1, C2, C3, C4) is connected between a first end of at least one of said at least two lines (3a, 3b) and said conductive layer (2). The at least one capacitor is a buried capacitor grounded in order to equalize unequal phase velocities otherwise degrading the performance of e.g. broadside coupled structures in an inhomogeneous substrate structure such as for example microstrips in a multilayer LTCC. Therefore the present invention enables coupling devices having a high performance and offering in that way the best of all possible design scenarios in terms of wideband performance, size and cost.

Abstract: A receiver which comprises means for receiving a first plurality of signals at different frequencies at the same time, means for generating a second plurality of signals (116), a mixer (114) for receiving, at the same time, the first plurality of signals at different frequencies and one of the second plurality of signals at a time wherein the second plurality of signals are mixed by the mixer (114) in succession, said first plurality of signals being mixed with successive ones of the second plurality of signals and filter means (320) for mixing signals output from said mixer (114), said filter means (120) being arranged to provide a series of samples of the first plurality of signals at the same frequency, wherein each of the said samples are separated in time.

Abstract: A voltage-controlled oscillator using planar microstrip technology and primarily for the 37 to 39.5 GHz frequency band comprises a strip-line resonator, a negative resistance device mounted adjacent the center of the resonator, respective variable capacitance devices mounted adjacent the ends of the resonator, a high impedance coupling the resonator to an output path, and bias signals are applied to the negative resistance device and said variable capacitance devices.