Patents by Inventor Timothy A. Thomas

Timothy A. Thomas 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: 10917278
    Abstract: 5G, New Radio (NR), numerology, receiver issues. The numerology scheme here consists in keeping the bandwidth constant but varying the subcarrier spacing (ie different tone spacing B for data and K*B for control channels), and correspondingly the symbol duration. Control symbols have a wider subcarrier separation but smaller symbol duration (In the case of beamforming reference signals, it would enable to train K beams in one symbol time period). Receiver issues: Embodiment 1 uses different Rx chains for data and control channels with different FFT sizes (size differing by factor K). Embodiment 2 uses a common identical FFT size (the one of the data channel) for both control and data: For the control channel, either repeat each control symbol K times prior to FFT and performs down-sampling afterwards and repeat it for each control symbol, or performs joint processing and FFT for all K control symbols jointly by either time domain linear combination or post FFT frequency processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Dennis Ogbe, Kiran Venugopal, Amitabha Ghosh
  • Publication number: 20200169440
    Abstract: 5G, New Radio (NR), numerology, receiver issues. The numerology scheme here consists in keeping the bandwidth constant but varying the subcarrier spacing (ie different tone spacing B for data and K*B for control channels), and correspondingly the symbol duration. Control symbols have a wider subcarrier separation but smaller symbol duration (In the case of beamforming reference signals, it would enable to train K beams in one symbol time period). Receiver issues: Embodiment 1 uses different Rx chains for data and control channels with different FFT sizes (size differing by factor K). Embodiment 2 uses a common identical FFT size (the one of the data channel) for both control and data: For the control channel, either repeat each control symbol K times prior to FFT and performs down-sampling afterwards and repeat it for each control symbol, or performs joint processing and FFT for all K control symbols jointly by either time domain linear combination or post FFT frequency processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy A. THOMAS, Dennis OGBE, Kiran VENUGOPAL, Amitabha GHOSH
  • Patent number: 9590709
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and computer-readable storage media perform phasing of a first array including one or more antenna elements and phasing of a second array including one or more antenna elements to provide a combined radiation pattern for the first and second arrays, the first array having a first radiation pattern and the second array having a second radiation pattern, wherein the first radiation pattern is substantially orthogonal to the second radiation pattern. The combined radiation pattern is controlled in a first dimension based upon an uplink channel measurement. The combined radiation pattern is controlled in a second dimension based upon a precoding feedback from a user equipment (UE).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Frederick Vook, Eugene Visotsky
  • Publication number: 20160262570
    Abstract: Implementations of a food fryer are provided. In some implementations, the food fryer comprises a body portion, a stand, burners, and a drain. In some implementations, the body portion of the food fryer may be a curved hollow tube having an opening on each end. The body portion is configured to hold liquids therein for the purpose of frying or cooking food. In some implementations, the food fryer may include a storage container comprised of a body portion, a lid, and two extension members. In some implementations, the two extension members of the storage container may be configured to individually or collectively secure about the openings of the food fryers body portion such that the storage container is positioned above the food fryer. In some implementations, the storage container comprises openings from which the extension members extend.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Lisa M. Waylor, Tina M. Griffith, Timothy A. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9345251
    Abstract: Implementations of a food fryer are provided. In some implementations, the food fryer comprises a body portion, a stand, burners, and a drain. In some implementations, the body portion of the food fryer may be a curved hollow tube having an opening on each end. The body portion is configured to hold liquids therein for the purpose of frying or cooking food. In some implementations, the food fryer may include a storage container comprised of a body portion, a lid, and two extension members. In some implementations, the two extension members of the storage container may be configured to individually or collectively secure about the openings of the food fryers body portion such that the storage container is positioned above the food fryer. In some implementations, the storage container comprises openings from which the extension members extend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Inventors: Lisa M. Waylor, Tina M. Griffith, Timothy A. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9197284
    Abstract: A wireless communication system is provided that spreads pilot signals, or channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs), using a spreading code chosen from a set of mutually unbiased bases (MUBs). The advantages of such spreading with MUBs are that multiple base stations can send their pilot signals on a same time-frequency resources, making the pilot signal design very efficient and also improving channel estimation at a user equipment through orthogonal and quasi-orthogonal spreading which gives a gain above noise and interference. A short spreading code chosen from MUBs may be used for spreading pilot signals transmitted from each antenna of a base station within a time-frequency resource comprising multiple closely-spaced subcarriers in frequency and/or multiple closely-spaced symbols in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Bishwarup Mondal
  • Patent number: 9161241
    Abstract: A method to use RSs for per-user elevation beamforming is described. An eNB sends, to a UE, an indication of which RSs in a plurality of RSs sound in the elevation dimension and which RSs in the plurality of RSs sound in the azimuthal dimension. Then, the eNB sends, to the UE, the plurality of RSs using a plurality of antenna. The UE separates the plurality of RSs into the first portion and the second portion based at least in part on the indication and sends elevation and azimuthal feedback based on the received RSs to the eNB. The eNB determines beamforming weights for the plurality of antenna based at least in part on the elevation feedback and the azimuthal feedback. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Frederick W. Vook, Bishwarup Mondal, Eugene Visotsky
  • Publication number: 20150196164
    Abstract: Implementations of a food fryer are provided. In some implementations, the food fryer comprises a body portion, a stand, burners, and a drain. In some implementations, the body portion of the food fryer may be a curved hollow tube having an opening on each end. The body portion is configured to hold liquids therein for the purpose of frying or cooking food. In some implementations, the food fryer may include a storage container comprised of a body portion, a lid, and two extension members. In some implementations, the two extension members of the storage container may be configured to individually or collectively secure about the openings of the food fryers body portion such that the storage container is positioned above the food fryer. In some implementations, the storage container comprises openings from which the extension members extend.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Lisa M. Waylor, Tina M. Griffith, Timothy A. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9059878
    Abstract: A method of operating an array of antennas in a wireless communication system to provide user-specific azimuth and elevation beamforming is described. The method includes providing a product codebook structure consisting of both an azimuth and elevation portion. A receiver receives reference signals from a transmitter corresponding to both the azimuth and elevation portions of the array of antennas. The method also includes determining the index of the azimuth codebook portion of the product codebook from the azimuth portion of the received reference signals and determining the index of the elevation codebook portion of the product codebook from the elevation portion of the received reference signals. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Bishwarup Mondal, Eugene Visotsky, Frederick W. Vook
  • Patent number: 8848815
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing channel feedback is provided herein. During operation a covariance matrix at time t (R) is calculated as a function of a received downlink signal. Matrix Ct is also calculated and is based on a previous quantized covariance matrix (Rqt?1), the covariance matrix (R) at time t, and a forgetting factor (?) that is applied to Rqt?1. The Ct is then used to create a DERC feedback message (signal or waveform) and may be transmitted with pilots on a proper feedback channel to a base unit. The base unit receives the feedback (Ct) as a DERC waveform on a proper feedback channel. The base unit uses non-coherent or coherent detection to detect the DERC values send by the remote unit and uses the DERC values with a previous quantized covariance matrix estimate, a forgetting factor, and a weighting value to compute a covariance matrix estimate to use for beamforming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Bishwarup Mondal, Eugene Visotsky, Frederick W. Vook
  • Patent number: 8824579
    Abstract: A method to improve codebook performance for non-linear arrays is described. The method includes determining a unitary matrix for a plurality of transmission antennas arranged in a given array type, the unitary matrix being determined based on a codebook, where the given array type is configured to steer beams in at least one of elevation and azimuth. The method also includes applying the determined unitary matrix to a signal to be transmitted across the plurality of transmission antennas. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks Oy
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Frederick Vook
  • Patent number: 8619894
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for beamforming are disclosed. Codebook antenna ports, such as ports defined by the 8 transmit antenna LTE codebook, are mapped to sub-elements of an antenna array arranged to form a plurality of elevation and azimuth ports, such as 4 elevation and 2 azimuth ports or 2 elevation and 4 azimuth ports. The mapping is chosen so as to optimize performance. Phasing values may also be applied to signal components provided as inputs to the sub-elements, with the values chosen to maximize performance, such as rank 1 gain or rank 2 or higher performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks Oy
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Frederick Vook, Eugene Visotsky
  • Patent number: 8619542
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing channel feedback is provided herein. During operation a covariance matrix at time t (R) is calculated as a function of a received downlink signal. In order to reduce overhead, R is normalized and quantized. The base unit then uses the covariance matrix estimate to determine appropriate channel beamforming weights, and instructs transmit beamforming circuitry to use the appropriate weights. In an embodiment, circuitry performs a method of calculating a first precoding matrix index I from a codebook using a received signal, calculating a second codebook index J* using the first precoding matrix index I to approximate a covariance matrix and calculating a quantized coefficient ?* to approximate the covariance matrix wherein the quantized coefficient ?* is determined using the first precoding matrix index I.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Bishwarup Mondal, Timothy A. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8588324
    Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software related product (e.g., a computer readable memory) for implementing precoding for a coordinated multi-point joint transmission in LTE wireless systems using a specific product structure for a multi-point precoding matrix with designed and/or specified usage of multi-point codebooks for generating spatial data stream between a UE having multiple antennas and a plurality of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks Oy
    Inventors: Bishwarup Mondal, Timothy A. Thomas, Eugene Visotsky
  • Publication number: 20130279615
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing channel feedback is provided herein. During operation a covariance matrix at time t (R) is calculated as a function of a received downlink signal. Matrix Ct is also calculated and is based on a previous quantized covariance matrix (Rqt?1), the covariance matrix (R) at time t, and a forgetting factor (?) that is applied to Rqt?1. The Ct is then used to create a DERC feedback message (signal or waveform) and may be transmitted with pilots on a proper feedback channel to a base unit. The base unit receives the feedback (Ct) as a DERC waveform on a proper feedback channel. The base unit uses non-coherent or coherent detection to detect the DERC values send by the remote unit and uses the DERC values with a previous quantized covariance matrix estimate, a forgetting factor, and a weighting value to compute a covariance matrix estimate to use for beamforming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Bishwarup Mondal, Eugene Visotsky, Frederick W. Vook
  • Patent number: 8559295
    Abstract: A pilot transmission scheme is presented where during a first OFDM symbol period a first pilot sequence is transmitted over a first multiple sub-carriers on a first group of antennas. During a second OFDM symbol period, a second pilot sequence is transmitted over a second multiple sub-carriers on a second group of antennas. The first and the second groups of antennas only transmit one pilot sequence every subframe of M OFDM symbol periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Kevin L. Baum, Brian K. Classon, Vijay Nangia
  • Publication number: 20130259151
    Abstract: A method of operating an array of antennas in a wireless communication system to provide user-specific azimuth and elevation beamforming is described. The method includes providing a product codebook structure consisting of both an azimuth and elevation portion. A receiver receives reference signals from a transmitter corresponding to both the azimuth and elevation portions of the array of antennas. The method also includes determining the index of the azimuth codebook portion of the product codebook from the azimuth portion of the received reference signals and determining the index of the elevation codebook portion of the product codebook from the elevation portion of the received reference signals. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Nokia Siemens Networks Oy
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Bishwarup Mondal, Eugene Visotsky, Frederick W. Vook
  • Patent number: 8537790
    Abstract: A method for communicating control channel information in a wireless communication system, including transmitting a super-frame having a time-frequency resource region containing an allocation control channel and multiple pilot elements, at least some of which are associated with the allocation control channel, and indicating, in a configuration information control channel of the super-frame, a characteristic of the pilots elements associated with the allocation control channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Mark C. Cudak, Timothy A. Thomas, Frederick W. Vook, Anup K. Talukdar, Fan Wang, Bishwarup Mondal
  • Patent number: 8509705
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing channel feedback is provided herein. During operation a covariance matrix at time t (R) is calculated as a function of a received downlink signal. Matrix Ct is also calculated and is based on a previous quantized covariance matrix (Rqt-1), the covariance matrix (R) at time t, and a forgetting factor (?) that is applied to Rqt-1. The Ct is then used to create a DERC feedback message (signal or waveform) and may be transmitted with pilots on a proper feedback channel to a base unit. The base unit receives the feedback (Ct) as a DERC waveform on a proper feedback channel. The base unit uses non-coherent or coherent detection to detect the DERC values send by the remote unit and uses the DERC values with a previous quantized covariance matrix estimate, a forgetting factor, and a weighting value to compute a covariance matrix estimate to use for beamforming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Timothy A. Thomas, Bishwarup Mondal, Eugene Visotsky, Frederick W. Vook
  • Patent number: 8509112
    Abstract: In a wireless communication system, a method and apparatus for closed loop transmission is disclosed. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a time frequency portion of an uplink frame is dynamically reserved as a sounding zone for uplink channel sounding. A first message is transmitted to a first subscriber station in a downlink frame assigning a time-frequency resource within the sounding zone, and a sounding waveform. Furthermore, a signal is received from the subscriber station within the assigned time-frequency resource, a partial channel response is determined from the received sounding signal, and the subsequent transmission to the subscriber station is tailored based on the at least partial channel response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Frederick W. Vook, Xiangyang Zhuang, Kevin L. Baum, Timothy A. Thomas