Patents by Inventor Lizhong Zhu

Lizhong Zhu 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: 20140051481
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and circuit board carried by the housing and includes radio frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor carried by the circuit board and operative with each other. A display connector for an LCD connector is mounted on the circuit board and adapted to be connected to a display. Display connection lines are carried by the circuit board and interconnect the display connector and processor for carrying signals from the processor to the display connector and a connected display. Filters are carried by the circuit board and connected to the display connection lines and reduce any interfering energy from the processor and display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: LIZHONG ZHU, MICHAEL STEPHEN CORRIGAN, PERRY JARMUSZEWSKI, LIVIU GEORGE, GEORGE SOLIMAN MANKARUSE, JAMES ALEXANDER ROBINSON, MARC A. DRADER
  • Patent number: 8644539
    Abstract: A hearing aid has improved immunity to RF electromagnetic interference produced from wireless communications devices. A microphone receives audio signals from the environment. Audio circuitry is connected to the microphone and amplifies the audio signals. A speaker is connected to the audio circuitry and directs the audio signals into an ear canal of the user of the hearing aid. The audio connection lines connect the microphone and audio circuitry and the speaker and audio circuitry. A filter is connected into each of the audio connection lines and operative for reducing the RF coupling from a wireless communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, George Soliman Mankaruse, Michael Stephen Corrigan
  • Publication number: 20140024410
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing, a cellular transceiver carried by the housing and to operate at a given transmit power level from among different transmit power levels, and a WLAN transceiver carried by the housing and to operate at a given receive gain level from among different receive gain levels. The mobile wireless communications device may also include a controller to select the given receive gain level based upon the given transmit power level of the cellular transceiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Fei HE, Jun Xu, Lizhong Zhu
  • Publication number: 20140022125
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining antenna coupling among a plurality of antennas of the communication device and adjusting beam forming for the plurality of antennas utilizing phase shifters coupled with radiating elements of the plurality of antennas, where the adjusting of the beam forming is based on forming a desired antenna pattern that increases radiated throughput and reduces the antenna coupling among the plurality of antennas. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, Jun Xu, Fei He
  • Publication number: 20140024321
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a controller that determines a radiated throughput for at least one of an uplink throughput or a downlink throughput of the communication device, reduces transmit power for the communication device responsive to the radiated throughput satisfying a throughput threshold, and tunes a matching network of the communication device responsive to the radiated throughput not satisfying the throughput threshold. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicants: Research In Motion RF, Inc., Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, Joseph D. Caci, Keith Ronald Manssen
  • Publication number: 20140004911
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable device housing, wireless communications circuitry carried by the portable device housing, and a self-contained rechargeable battery pack carried by the portable housing for powering the wireless communications circuitry. The self-contained rechargeable battery pack may include a battery casing, at least one internal battery cell carried within the battery casing, internal battery circuitry carried within the battery casing, and at least one internal filter element carried within the battery casing and coupled to the internal battery circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: LIZHONG ZHU, MICHAEL STEPHEN CORRIGAN, GEORGE SOLIMAN MANKARUSE
  • Patent number: 8620231
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing, antenna, and circuit board carried by the housing and having radio frequency (RF) circuitry operative with the antenna for receiving and transmitting RF signals through the antenna. A power amplifier is connected within a transmission line for amplifying RF signals to be transmitted over the transmission line to the antenna. An antenna switch is connected to the antenna and RF circuitry. An RF shield surrounds the power amplifier and antenna switch and isolates the power amplifier and antenna switch from the antenna and RF circuitry. A low pass filter is connected to the power amplifier and antenna switch for reducing any RF coupling of voltage standing waves of upper harmonic frequencies from the power amplifier into the antenna switch through the RF shield while maintaining transmission of signals through the transmission line at a desired fundamental frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, George Soliman Mankaruse, Michael Stephen Corrigan
  • Patent number: 8600451
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and circuit board carried by the housing and includes radio frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor carried by the circuit board and operative with each other. A display connector for an LCD connector is mounted on the circuit board and adapted to be connected to a display. Display connection lines are carried by the circuit board and interconnect the display connector and processor for carrying signals from the processor to the display connector and a connected display. Filters are carried by the circuit board and connected to the display connection lines and reduce any interfering energy from the processor and display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, Michael Stephen Corrigan, Perry Jarmuszewski, Liviu George, George Soliman Mankaruse, James Alexander Robinson, Marc Drader
  • Publication number: 20130315345
    Abstract: A communications device, in one aspect as a portable wireless communications device, includes an in-phase modulator and power amplifier that receives a baseband I signal and modulates and amplifies the I signal. A quadrature modulator and power amplifier receives a baseband Q signal and modulates and amplifies the Q signal. A power combiner sums and outputs the I and Q signals. An I demodulator circuit receives a signal fed back from the I power amplifier and demodulates the fed back signal to produce demodulated I signals. A Q demodulator circuit receives a signal fed back from the Q power amplifier and demodulates the fed back signal to produce demodulated Q signals. A processor compares the digital, baseband I and Q signals with a demodulated I and Q signals to compensate for amplitude, frequency and phase modulation errors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, George Soliman Mankaruse, Michael Stephen Corrigan, Perry Jarmuszewski, Oleksiy Kravets, Kent Arnold Nickerson, Nagula Tharma Sangary
  • Patent number: 8594566
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing, a wireless transceiver carried by the housing, a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the wireless transceiver, and an NFC IC carried by the housing and coupled to the processor. The mobile wireless communications device may also include an NFC antenna carried by the housing, and a coupling circuit between the NFC IC and the NFC antenna. The coupling circuit may include a capacitive network including capacitors coupled in series with each other and in parallel with the NFC antenna, a transmit branch coupled between the NFC IC and a first node between a first pair of capacitors, and a receive branch coupled between the NFC IC and the first node between the first pair of capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, Libo Zhu
  • Patent number: 8594750
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device and associated method of making same includes a housing and circuit board having a ground plane. Radio frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor are carried by the circuit board and operative with each other. An antenna is carried by the housing and operative with the RF circuitry. Audio circuitry is carried by the circuit board and operative with the RF circuitry and processor. An audio transducer assembly such as a receiver is carried by the circuit board and engages audio circuitry for carrying audio signals between the audio circuitry and speaker. A filter is mounted at the speaker for blocking RF energy from the antenna through the speaker to the ground plane and decoupling the antenna from the speaker and any other components on the circuit board to minimize any detuning of antenna impedance match and degradation in antenna gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, Yihong Qi, Michael Stephen Corrigan, Krystyna Bandurska, Ying Tong Man
  • Patent number: 8594751
    Abstract: A portable audio device having reduced sensitivity to RF interference over a predetermined frequency range from an adjacent mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, a battery carried thereby, a recharging power input connected to the battery, a digital signal input, and an audio analog signal output. A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) may be carried by the portable housing and powered by the battery for converting a selected digital audio file from a memory into an analog audio signal. An audio analog amplifier may be connected between the DAC and the audio analog signal output. A first RF filter(s) may be connected to the recharging power input, and a second RF filter(s) may be connected to the audio analog signal output, both for reducing RF interference over the predetermined frequency range from the adjacent mobile wireless communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Blackberry Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, Michael Stephen Corrigan, George Soliman Mankaruse
  • Patent number: 8576826
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device includes a wireless local area network (WLAN) radio configured to generate a WLAN transmit signal, and a Bluetooth radio configured to generate a Bluetooth transmit signal. A circulator is coupled downstream of an antenna. A transmit path couples the WLAN radio and the Bluetooth radio to the circulator such that the WLAN radio and the Bluetooth radio are capable of transmitting simultaneously. In addition, a receive path also couples the WLAN radio and the Bluetooth radio to the circulator such that the WLAN radio and the Bluetooth radio are capable of receiving simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, Koon Hung Lee, Jun Xu, Libo Zhu, Fei He, Craig Stuart Mackenzie, Michael Stephen Corrigan, George Soliman Mankaruse, Perry Jarmuszewski
  • Publication number: 20130288745
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and circuit board carried by the housing. RF circuitry and a processor are operative with each other and carried by the circuit board. A receiver speaker and microphone are carried by the housing. Audio circuitry is carried by the circuit board and operative with the RF circuitry and processor. A microphone audio switch and receiver speaker audio switch are carried by the circuit board and are connected with audio connection lines that interconnect the processor. A filter is operative with the audio connection lines and operatively connected to at least one of the microphone audio switch or receiver speaker audio switch to reduce conducted and radiated interfering RF energy from coupling into the audio circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: LIZHONG ZHU, MICHAEL STEPHEN CORRIGAN, GEORGE SOLIMAN MANKARUSE, PERRY JARMUSZEWSKI
  • Patent number: 8565842
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and circuit board carried by the housing and having radio frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor operative with each other. Audio circuitry is carried by the circuit board and an audio transducer assembly, such as a speaker, has electrical contacts that electrically engage the audio circuitry for carrying audio signals between the audio circuitry and audio transducer assembly. A filter is mounted at the audio transducer assembly and reduces radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic interference to the audio transducer assembly during device operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Blackberry Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, George Soliman Mankaruse, Michael Stephen Corrigan
  • Publication number: 20130260841
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and circuit board in the housing and having radio frequency (RF) circuitry and a power amplifier and microphone mounted thereon. An antenna is carried within the housing and operative with the RF circuitry. An RF shield surrounds and isolates the microphone from the RF circuitry, power amplifier and antenna and shields the microphone from radiated energy generated from the RF circuitry, antenna or power amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: MICHAEL STEPHEN CORRIGAN, GEORGE SOLIMAN MANKARUSE, LIZHONG ZHU
  • Publication number: 20130257528
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electronic circuit for reducing leakage of radio frequency signals from a power amplifier of a wireless communication device is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, George Soliman Mankaruse, Michael Stephen Corrigan, Jun Xu, Kent Arnold Nickerson
  • Patent number: 8548533
    Abstract: A wireless headset has improved immunity to RF electromagnetic interference produced from wireless communications devices. A headset body is adapted to be worn by a user and includes a microphone and earpiece. An antenna receives wireless communication signals and passes them to RF and audio circuitry mounted within the headset body. The RF and audio circuitry include a Bluetooth module operatively connected to the antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless communication signals, an audio CODEC connected to the Bluetooth module, and audio connection lines connected between the CODEC and the earpiece and between the CODEC and the microphone. A filter is connected into each of the audio connection lines at the earpiece and microphone and operative for reducing the RF coupling from a mobile wireless communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Blackberry Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, George Soliman Mankaruse, Michael Stephen Corrigan
  • Patent number: 8547171
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a printed circuit board (PCB) for an electronic circuit for a power amplifier of a wireless communication device. The PCB comprises: a substrate; a ground reference in the substrate; first through fourth locations and first and second pads in the substrate; and first and second electrical tracks in the substrate. The locations are for components for the PCB, including a 0 ohm component, and pads connect tracks to the components. The first pad is for a high band power input terminal of the amplifier. The first track connects the first pad to the second location. The third location is in the first track for placement of a first capacitor in a circuit between the first pad and ground. The second pad is for an output terminal of the amplifier. The second track connects the second pad to an output stage circuit of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Lizhong Zhu, George Soliman Mankaruse, Michael Stephen Corrigan, Jun Xu, Kent Arnold Nickerson
  • Publication number: 20130243048
    Abstract: A communications device may include an In-phase (I) circuit having an In-phase modulator and mixer circuit, and an I power amplifier circuit coupled thereto, the I circuit configured to modulate and amplify a digital baseband I signal to generate an amplified I signal, and a Quadrature (Q) circuit having a Q modulator and mixer circuit, and a Q power amplifier circuit coupled thereto, the Q circuit configured to modulate and amplify a digital baseband Q signal to generate an amplified Q signal separate from the amplified I signal. A processor selectively switches the digital baseband I signal and the digital baseband Q signal between the I and Q signal inputs to provide selective phase shifting for the digital baseband I and Q signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: LIZHONG ZHU, GEORGE SOLIMAN MANKARUSE, MICHAEL STEPHEN CORRIGAN, PERRY JARMUSZEWSKI, OLEKSIY KRAVETS, KENT ARNOLD NICKERSON, NAGULA THARMA SANGARY