Patents by Inventor Steven Deane

Steven Deane 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).

  • Patent number: 10341882
    Abstract: A mobile communication device has a processor, a radio, a near field communication (NFC) device, a battery, and memory for storing data. The power level of the battery is measured. When the measured power level is above a first predetermined level, power is provided to the radio to allow communication. Sufficient power is provided to operate the NFC device as a reader and a tag. When the measured power level of the battery falls below the first predetermined level, battery power to the radio is shut off. Sufficient power is maintained to the NFC device to allow it to operate only as a tag. Sufficient power is maintained to the memory to retain the data stored in the memory. When the measured power level of the battery falls below a second predetermined level, the NFC device is required to harvest all of its power from the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Deane Hall, Mohamed Awad, Theodore Trost
  • Publication number: 20150334518
    Abstract: A mobile communication device has a processor, a radio, a near field communication (NFC) device, a battery, and memory for storing data. The power level of the battery is measured. When the measured power level is above a first predetermined level, power is provided to the radio to allow communication. Sufficient power is provided to operate the NFC device as a reader and a tag. When the measured power level of the battery falls below the first predetermined level, battery power to the radio is shut off. Sufficient power is maintained to the NFC device to allow it to operate only as a tag. Sufficient power is maintained to the memory to retain the data stored in the memory. When the measured power level of the battery falls below a second predetermined level, the NFC device is required to harvest all of its power from the field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Deane Hall, Mohamed Awad, Theodore Trost
  • Patent number: 9026048
    Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that detects a presence of another NFC capable device within its magnetic field. The NFC device observes signal metrics of an observed detection signal at various intervals. The NFC device determines a statistical relationship based upon at least two first signal metrics from among the signal metrics to determine an estimate of at least one second signal metric from among the signal metrics. The NFC device compares a difference between the estimate of the signal metric of the at least one second signal metric and the at least one second signal metric. The NFC capable device makes a first determination that another NFC device is present within its magnetic field when the difference indicates that the at least one second signal metric is non-linearly related to the at least two first signal metrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Stewart Royston, Steven Deane Hall, Brima Ibrahim
  • Publication number: 20150118956
    Abstract: A communication device includes a first and second near-field wireless (NFW) module operating with a first and second protocol, respectively. A module and method to improve the operational efficiency of the first and second NFW modules are disclosed. Due to close proximity between the first and second NFW modules in the communication device, an undesirable parasitic inductive coupling can occur that can degrade the operational performance of the modules. The first NFW module can be configured to control inductive coupling of the second NFW module when an electromagnetic (EM) field operating with the first protocol is detected. Additionally, the second NFW module can be configured to control inductive coupling of the first NFW module when an EM field operating with the second protocol is detected. Controlling the inductive coupling of each module can be performed by means of detuning an inductive coupling element of each module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Prasanna Desai, John Walley, Henrik Tholstrup Jensen, Steven Deane Hall, Domitille Esnard-Domerego, Hea Joung Kim, Yasantha Rajakarunanayake, Ming Lin, Vadim Bishtein, Nhan Quang Tran, Ntsanderh Azenui
  • Patent number: 8873691
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for circuitry that generates a sync code for wireless transmission. The system generates a sync word according to an identifier of the transmitter, the sync word being unique under a cyclic shift of the sync word. The system inserts a plurality of instances of the sync word into a data stream. The system also transmits, via the transmitter, the data stream to a receiver, the receiver being operable to perform a sliding correlation operation on the sync word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Robert William Hulvey, Hyungjin Kim, Steven Deane Hall, Nicholas Michael Carbone, Siukai Mak
  • Patent number: 8867990
    Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that detects a presence of another NFC capable device within its magnetic field. The NFC device generates an unmodulated frequency varying detection sequence to generate a frequency varying magnetic field and/or a modulated frequency invariant detection sequence to generate a carrier-frequency invariant magnetic field. The NFC device samples these magnetic fields and compares these samples to various a priori known responses of various objects to determine whether another NFC device is present within the frequency varying magnetic field and/or the carrier-frequency invariant magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Stewart Royston, Steven Deane Hall
  • Patent number: 8682246
    Abstract: Methods and systems for collaborative coexistence of Bluetooth and WiMax are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include a packet traffic arbiter (PTA) in a mobile terminal that arbitrates among requests to transmit from one or more communication devices collocated in the mobile terminal. The communication devices may comprise, for example, a WLAN communication device, a WiMax communication device, and/or a Bluetooth communication device. The arbitration may be based on, for example, whether a packet will be received by one of the plurality of collocated communication devices at a time of transmission of the present data packet and/or a priority for data to be transmitted. An exemplary scenario may be where a Bluetooth headset may be used for communication over a WiMax voice connection. One arbitration method may comprise allowing the WiMax packet to be transmitted, and replacing the received Bluetooth packet with data indicating silence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Prasanna Desai, Steven Deane Hall, Brima Ibrahim
  • Publication number: 20140072083
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for circuitry that generates a sync code for wireless transmission. The system generates a sync word according to an identifier of the transmitter, the sync word being unique under a cyclic shift of the sync word. The system inserts a plurality of instances of the sync word into a data stream. The system also transmits, via the transmitter, the data stream to a receiver, the receiver being operable to perform a sliding correlation operation on the sync word.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Robert William Hulvey, Hyungjin Kim, Steven Deane Hall, Nicholas Michael Carbone, Siukai Mak
  • Publication number: 20130225071
    Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that detects a presence of another NFC capable device within its magnetic field. The NFC device generates an unmodulated frequency varying detection sequence to generate a frequency varying magnetic field and/or a modulated frequency invariant detection sequence to generate a carrier-frequency invariant magnetic field. The NFC device samples these magnetic fields and compares these samples to various a priori known responses of various objects to determine whether another NFC device is present within the frequency varying magnetic field and/or the carrier-frequency invariant magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Stewart ROYSTON, Steven Deane HALL
  • Publication number: 20130143488
    Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that detects a presence of another NFC capable device within its magnetic field. The NFC device observes signal metrics of an observed detection signal at various intervals. The NFC device determines a statistical relationship based upon at least two first signal metrics from among the signal metrics to determine an estimate of at least one second signal metric from among the signal metrics. The NFC device compares a difference between the estimate of the signal metric of the at least one second signal metric and the at least one second signal metric. The NFC capable device makes a first determination that another NFC device is present within its magnetic field when the difference indicates that the at least one second signal metric is non-linearly related to the at least two first signal metrics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Philip Stewart ROYSTON, Steven Deane Hall, Brima Ibrahim
  • Patent number: 8457554
    Abstract: Methods and systems for wireless communication are disclosed and may include controlling one or more scans of a received signal detection frequency across a frequency range and storing a magnitude of the received signal at each frequency where the magnitude exceeds a threshold level. A type of one or more signals in the received signal may be determined based on a bandwidth of the signals. A Bluetooth page/inquiry scan may be initiated if the determined type is a page/inquiry signal, and scans may be continued if the determined type may not be a page/inquiry signal. The scans may be repeated on a periodic basis and may be controlled utilizing a voltage controlled oscillator. Each of the scans may include a plurality of discrete frequency steps or a continuous frequency ramp. The controlling may include a start frequency, an end frequency and a frequency step size for the scans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Deane Hall, Brima Babatunde Ibrahim, Hea Joung Kim, Yuan Zhuang, Langford Wasada, Bojko Marholev, Shawn Ding, Latha Caliaperoumal, Satya Prasad Srinivas
  • Publication number: 20120329391
    Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that detects a presence of another NFC capable device within its magnetic field. The NFC device provides a detection sequence having one or more detection signals to its environment. The NFC device observes the detection sequence as it is being provided to its environment to recover one or more observed detection signals. The NFC device determines a difference between the observed detection signals and one or more previous observed detection signals and/or the detection signals. The NFC device characterizes the difference as resulting from changes in the environment when the difference is linear or as resulting from another NFC capable device being present within its magnetic field when the difference is non-linear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven Deane Hall, Brima Ibrahim, Philip Stewart Royston, Thomas Fung, Frederick Mang-Hong Leung
  • Patent number: 8190388
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for detecting Bluetooth signals utilizing a wideband receiver are provided. In this regard, a portion of a frequency band may be scanned multiple times, where each scan comprises receiving signals present in the scanned portion of the frequency band. Based on results of a Fast Fourier Transform performed on the received signals, presence of one or more Bluetooth transmissions in the received signals may be detected. In instances that a Bluetooth transmission is detected, a type of the Bluetooth transmission may be determined based on a number of the scans in which the Bluetooth transmission was detected. In instances that a detected Bluetooth transmission is a page, a Bluetooth transceiver in the wireless communication device may be powered up and/or enter a page scanning mode. The scans may be performed by a wireless local area networking receiver within the wireless communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Brima Babatunde Ibrahim, Steven Deane Hall
  • Patent number: 7801098
    Abstract: An integrated circuit radio transceiver and associated method comprises a multi-mode device operable to support personal area network communications as well as traditional wireless local area network communications. In one embodiment, IEEE 802.11 protocol IBSS communications are used to transport Bluetooth communication data packets. Thus, the multi-mode device is operable to establish traditional BSS communications with an Access Point in addition to establishing peer-to-peer communications with another multi-mode device to transport the Bluetooth communications over the 802.11 IBSS communication link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Hansen, Angel Polo, Steven Deane Hall, Henry Ptasinski, Raymond R. Hayes
  • Publication number: 20100048136
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for detecting Bluetooth signals utilizing a wideband receiver are provided. In this regard, a portion of a frequency band may be scanned multiple times, where each scan comprises receiving signals present in the scanned portion of the frequency band. Based on results of a Fast Fourier Transform performed on the received signals, presence of one or more Bluetooth transmissions in the received signals may be detected. In instances that a Bluetooth transmission is detected, a type of the Bluetooth transmission may be determined based on a number of the scans in which the Bluetooth transmission was detected. In instances that a detected Bluetooth transmission is a page, a Bluetooth transceiver in the wireless communication device may be powered up and/or enter a page scanning mode. The scans may be performed by a wireless local area networking receiver within the wireless communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Brima Babatunde Ibrahim, Steven Deane Hall
  • Patent number: 7640123
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for detecting Bluetooth signals utilizing a wideband receiver are provided. In this regard, a frequency band may be scanned by receiving signals on each of a plurality of sub-bands for an amount of time, the energy received in each band may be compared to a threshold, and whether each sub-band comprises a Bluetooth transmission may be determined based on a FFT. Additionally, the FFT may enable determining on which Bluetooth channel a detected transmission occurred. A FFT may be performed when energy detected in a sub-band is higher than a threshold. The sub-bands may each be a WLAN channel. A type of a detected Bluetooth transmission may be determined based on a number of scans in which the transmission is detected. Each sub-band may be received for less than or equal to 68 ?s divided by the number of sub-bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Brima Ibrahim, Steven Deane Hall
  • Publication number: 20090124200
    Abstract: Methods and systems for wireless communication are disclosed and may include controlling one or more scans of a received signal detection frequency across a frequency range and storing a magnitude of the received signal at each frequency where the magnitude exceeds a threshold level. A type of one or more signals in the received signal may be determined based on a bandwidth of the signals. A Bluetooth page/inquiry scan may be initiated if the determined type is a page/inquiry signal, and scans may be continued if the determined type may not be a page/inquiry signal. The scans may be repeated on a periodic basis and may be controlled utilizing a voltage controlled oscillator. Each of the scans may include a plurality of discrete frequency steps or a continuous frequency ramp. The controlling may include a start frequency, an end frequency and a frequency step size for the scans.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Steven Deane Hall, Brima Babatunde Ibrahim, Hea Joung Kim, Yuan Zhuang, Langford Wasada, Bojko Marholev, Shawn Ding, Latha Caliaperoumal, Satya Prasad Srinivas
  • Publication number: 20090111496
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for classifying Bluetooth channels using a wideband receiver are provided. In this regard, FFT analysis may be utilized to detect signals/interference present in a sub-band of an ISM band and classify Bluetooth channels in that sub-band based on the detected signals. A co-located Bluetooth transceiver may utilize the classification to determine which Bluetooth channels comprise a best communication link for communicating via Bluetooth. In this regard, Bluetooth channels may be ranked in order of preference based on the classification. Preferred Bluetooth channels may provide more reliable Bluetooth communications. The ISM frequency band may be the 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band. The sub-bands may each comprise a WLAN channel. The Bluetooth channels may be classified based on strength, type, and/or a rate of recurrence of the detected signals. In addition to the FFT, a signal strength indicator may be utilized to detect signals/interference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Brima Babatunde Ibrahim, Steven Deane Hall
  • Publication number: 20090112492
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for detecting Bluetooth signals utilizing a wideband receiver are provided. In this regard, a frequency band may be scanned by receiving signals on each of a plurality of sub-bands for an amount of time, the energy received in each band may be compared to a threshold, and whether each sub-band comprises a Bluetooth transmission may be determined based on a FFT. Additionally, the FFT may enable determining on which Bluetooth channel a detected transmission occurred. A FFT may be performed when energy detected in a sub-band is higher than a threshold. The sub-bands may each be a WLAN channel. A type of a detected Bluetooth transmission may be determined based on a number of scans in which the transmission is detected. Each sub-band may be received for less than or equal to 68 ?s divided by the number of sub-bands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Brima Babatunde Ibrahim, Steven Deane Hall
  • Publication number: 20090022208
    Abstract: Methods and systems for wireless communication are disclosed and may include sweeping a signal detection frequency one or more times across a plurality of steps in a frequency range. The measured signal strength at each step may be compared to a threshold, and a status may be stored, which may depend on the presence of a measured signal strength above threshold. The detection frequency may be swept utilizing a voltage controlled oscillator, which may be tuned via a control voltage and/or calibration capacitors. Steps may be skipped when a measured signal strength may be greater than the threshold, and may occur after multiple above threshold measurements. The steps may have variable frequency width, and the range may include the Bluetooth band from 2.40 GHz to 2.48 GHz. The frequency may be swept over a subset of the Bluetooth band, and may be swept on a periodic basis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Steven Deane Hall, Brima Ibrahim, Hea Joung Kim, Yuan Zhuang, Langford Wasada, Bojko Marholev, Shawn Ding, Latha Caliaperoumal, Satya Prasad Srinivas