Impedance Matching Patents (Class 333/17.3)
  • Patent number: 8022795
    Abstract: A variable impedance adapter that has a value of characteristic impedance that is responsive to changes in the configuration of the adapter. In one embodiment, the variable impedance adapter includes an elongated section and a telescoping section that surround a center conductor that transmits an electrical signal across the adapter. A pair of tuning elements is disposed on a portion of the center conductor, one or more of the elements being shaped and configured to move along the center conductor amongst a plurality of positions in response to relative movement between the elongated section and the telescoping section. The first position and the second position correspond to different values of characteristic impedance of the variable impedance adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Noah Montena
  • Patent number: 8018446
    Abstract: A differential signaling system includes a pair of differential signal lines having a transmitting end and a receiving end, and a termination resistor and an active impedance compensator connected in parallel between the pair of differential signal lines at the receiving end, wherein the active impedance compensator includes a plurality of impedance adjustment circuits connected in parallel between the pair of differential signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jee-youl Ryu
  • Patent number: 8008982
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an adaptive impedance matching network having an RF matching network coupled to at least one RF input port and at least one RF output port and comprising one or more controllable variable reactive elements. The RF matching network can be adapted to reduce a level of reflected power transferred from said at least one input port by varying signals applied to said controllable variable reactive elements. The one or more controllable variable reactive elements can be coupled to a circuit adapted to map one or more control signals that are output from a controller to a signal range that is compatible with said one or more controllable variable reactive elements. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Paratek Microwave, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. McKinzie, III
  • Patent number: 7999609
    Abstract: A system and method for managing distribution of wideband radio frequency signals includes detecting an impedance signature of a device connected at the end of transmission medium. A switch is opened to apply a wideband radio frequency signal to a transmission medium for distribution. A biasing voltage can be applied to the transmission medium based on the detected impedance signature. A signal conditioning circuit is selected based on the amplitude of the biasing voltage, and the wideband radio frequency signal is distributed to an output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Z-Band, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Saar, Robert D. Stine, Earl Hennenhoefer, Richard V. Snyder
  • Patent number: 7994872
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for a power matching apparatus for use with a processing chamber. In one aspect of the invention, a power matching apparatus is provided including a first RF power input coupled to a first adjustable capacitor, a second RF power input coupled to a second adjustable capacitor, a power junction coupled to the first adjustable capacitor and the second adjustable capacitor, a receiver circuit coupled to the power junction, a high voltage filter coupled to the power junction and the high voltage filter has a high voltage output, a voltage/current detector coupled to the power junction and a RF power output connected to the voltage/current detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. Shannon, Jang Gyoo Yang, Matthew L. Miller, Kartik Ramaswamy, James P. Cruse
  • Publication number: 20110163824
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a first inductor, a second inductor that is magnetically coupled with the first inductor, induced current flowing through the second inductor by a magnetic field generated by the first inductor, and a current changing part that is connected to the second inductor and is configured to change the induced current that flows through the second inductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Yoichi KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20110163935
    Abstract: An impedance matching network includes an impedance matching circuit for dynamically matching an impedance between a source and a load. Matching is done by varying the real part and the imaginary part of the impedance of the impedance matching circuit independently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Inventors: Maurice de Jongh, Adrianus van Bezooijen
  • Patent number: 7973621
    Abstract: A HOM attenuated high frequency resonator provided with a cylindrical resonator cavity on the outer surface of which are arranged three circular tapered waveguides with two symmetrically arranged ridges each, the cut-off frequency of the waveguide base mode being kept constant over the length of the waveguides by varying the height of the ridges, and the ridge waveguides being provided at their end of the smaller diameter with an impedance transformer each for the broadband adjustment of the coaxial line is to be cost-efficiently manufacturable as a compact structure and is to be of improved attenuation properties while at the same time having, relative to prior art arrangements, a high shunt impedance for the fundamental modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin Fuer Materialien und Energie GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Weihreter, Frank Marhauser
  • Patent number: 7949126
    Abstract: A bipolar pulse forming transmission line module and system for linear induction accelerators having first, second, third, and fourth planar conductors which form a sequentially arranged interleaved stack having opposing first and second ends, with dielectric layers between the conductors. The first and second planar conductors are connected to each other at the first end, and the first and fourth planar conductors are connected to each other at the second end via a shorting plate. The third planar conductor is electrically connectable to a high voltage source, and an internal switch functions to short at the first end a high voltage from the third planar conductor to the fourth planar conductor to produce a bipolar pulse at the acceleration axis with a zero net time integral. Improved access to the switch is enabled by an aperture through the shorting plate and the proximity of the aperture to the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventor: Mark A. Rhodes
  • Patent number: 7936233
    Abstract: The invention concerns a coaxial automatic impedance adaptor characterized in that it comprises two slugs and has only a lateral translational movement along an axis Ox. The double slug tuner principle is based on the movement of two line segments of different characteristics of 50 O inside a closed cylinder on either side of standard connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - CRNS, Universite des Sciences et Technologies de Lille - USTL
    Inventors: Nicolas Vellas, Christophe Gaquière, Frédéric Bue, Damien Ducatteau
  • Patent number: 7913005
    Abstract: The signal integrity of a high speed heavily loaded multidrop memory bus is often degraded due the numerous impedance mismatches. The impedance mismatches causes the bus to exhibit a nonlinear frequency response, which diminishes signal integrity and limits the bandwidth of the bus. A compensating element, such as a capacitor which ties the bus to a reference plane (e.g., a ground potential), or an inductor wired in series with the bus, is located approximately midway between the memory controller and the memory slots. The use of the compensating element equalizes signal amplitudes and minimizes phase errors of signals in an interested frequency range and diminishes the amplitudes of high frequency signals which exhibit high degrees of phase error. The resulting bus structure has increased desirable harmonic content with low phase error, thereby permitting the bus to exhibit better rise time performance and permitting a higher data transfer rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Round Rock Research, LLC
    Inventors: Roy Greeff, Terry R. Lee
  • Publication number: 20110063042
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising an input port and a dynamic impedance matching network capable of determining a mismatch at the input port and dynamically changing the RF match by using at least one matching element that includes at least one voltage tunable dielectric capacitor. The matching network may be a “Pi”, a “T”, or “ladder” type network and the apparatus may further comprise at least one directional coupler capable of signal collection by sampling a portion of an incident signal, a reflected signal or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: PARATEK MICROWAVE, INC.
    Inventors: Greg Mendolia, James Andrew Martin, III, Izz Khayo, Cornelis Frederik Du Toit, Heinz Bachmann, William McKinzie
  • Patent number: 7902860
    Abstract: In a semiconductor circuit, an impedance adjustment circuit having the characteristics same as those of a circuit having the nonlinear resistance characteristics is configured to include an operating point calculation circuit automatically calculating an operating point with a reference resistance through feedback control, and an impedance calculation circuit calculating the impedance at the operating point found by the operating point calculation circuit. The impedance adjustment circuit is also provided with an impedance determination circuit that determines whether or not the impedance found by the impedance calculation circuit is in a predetermined range. These components, i.e., the operating point calculation circuit, the impedance calculation circuit, and the impedance determination circuit, are provided each two for High-side and Low-side impedance adjustment use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiichi Yamamoto, Norio Chujo, Toru Yazaki, Hisaaki Kanai
  • Publication number: 20110043298
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising an RF matching network connected to at least one RF input port and at least one RF output port and including one or more voltage or current controlled variable reactive elements; a voltage detector connected to the at least one RF output port via a variable voltage divider to determine the voltage at the at least one RF output port and provide voltage information to a controller that controls a bias driving circuit which provides voltage or current bias to the RF matching network; a variable voltage divider connected to the voltage detector and implemented using a multi-pole RF switch to select one of a plurality of different resistance ratios to improve the dynamic range of the apparatus; and wherein the RF matching network is adapted to maximize RF power transferred from the at least one RF input port to the at least one RF output port by varying the voltage or current to the voltage or current controlled variable reactive elements to
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: PARATEK MICROWAVE, INC.
    Inventor: William E. McKinzie, III
  • Publication number: 20110012689
    Abstract: An impedance adjustment circuit for adjusting a terminal resistance includes a resistance evaluation unit and a terminal resistor unit. The resistance evaluation unit is utilized for evaluating a ratio of an off-chip resistor and a basic resistor to generate a control signal by a successive approximation method. The terminal resistor unit is coupled to the resistance evaluation unit, and is utilized for deciding a number of shunt basic resistors to provide a matched terminal resistance according to the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Chiao-Wei Hsiao, Sih-Ting Wang, Tung-Cheng Hsin
  • Patent number: 7868713
    Abstract: An exemplary impedance matching circuit (20) includes a signal processing circuit (22) and a variable resistance unit (24). The signal processing unit is configured for identifying a frequency of a signal from an external transmission line (23), generating an identification signal according to the frequency. The variable resistance unit is configured for selecting a resistance matched with an actual impedance of the transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignees: Innocom Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Yi-Hsiang Kao, An-Xing Jiang
  • Patent number: 7863996
    Abstract: An impedance matching network includes a first input port that receives radio frequency (RF) power and includes an input impedance, an output port that provides the RF power and includes an output impedance, and a variable capacitance module that varies the output impedance. The variable capacitance module includes a first variable capacitor, a second variable capacitor, a first motor, and a second motor that adjusts a capacitance of the second variable capacitor. A relationship between a desired value of the capacitance and an actual value of the capacitance is dependent on a capacitance of the first variable capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel H. Cotter, Sean O. Harnett
  • Patent number: 7852170
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising an RF matching network connected to at least one RF input port and at least one RF output port and including one or more voltage or current controlled variable reactive elements; a voltage detector connected to the at least one RF output port via a variable voltage divider to determine the voltage at the at least one RF output port and provide voltage information to a controller that controls a bias driving circuit which provides voltage or current bias to the RF matching network; a variable voltage divider connected to the voltage detector and implemented using a multi-pole RF switch to select one of a plurality of different resistance ratios to improve the dynamic range of the apparatus; and wherein the RF matching network is adapted to maximize RF power transferred from the at least one RF input port to the at least one RF output port by varying the voltage or current to the voltage or current controlled variable reactive elements to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Paratek Microwave, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. McKinzie, III
  • Patent number: 7835717
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an on-chip filter component that forms a programmable bandpass filter with the at least one off-chip bandpass filter component. The programmable bandpass filter is programmable based on a control signal. An RF receiver generates inbound data in response to a received signal from the programmable bandpass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 7831226
    Abstract: An impedance matching system, a network analyzer having the same, and an impedance matching method thereof are disclosed. The system includes a signal extractor to extract an output signal and an input signal having at least a portion of an electric current outputted through a load and at least a portion of an electric current inputted through the load, respectively, a processor to process the output signal and the input signal extracted from the signal extractor, a comparator to compare a phase and an amplitude of the output signal with a phase and an amplitude of the input signal, respectively, a coefficient calculator to calculate a reflection coefficient using the comparative result provided from the comparator, and a circuit controller to generate a signal for controlling a matching circuit, which matches the phase and the amplitude of the output signal with the phase and the amplitude of the input signal, respectively, so as to ensure the reflection coefficient to have a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Do-Hoon Kwon, Young-eil Kim
  • Patent number: 7831219
    Abstract: A matching network for matching an antenna to a transmitter or receiver comprises an input port for receiving high-frequency power, an output port and a switchable impedance transformation circuit, which is connected between the input port and the output port. The impedance transformation circuit comprises a CMOS switch in a high-frequency path, which has a first switching state and a second switching state. The impedance transformation circuit is implemented to match a first impedance applied to the output port to a first predetermined impedance in the first switching state, and to match a second impedance applied to the output port to a second predetermined impedance in the second switching state. The inventive matching network allows a particularly good utilization of power provided by a transmitting amplifier or an antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Holger Heuermann, Arash Sadeghfam
  • Patent number: 7808336
    Abstract: An impedance tuner may include a transmission media for propagating RF signals, a reflection magnitude control device mounted in a fixed position relative to a direction of signal propagation along said transmission media, and a phase shifter to control a reflection phase. A multi-section probe for an impedance tuner system may include a plurality of probe sections and a holder structure for mechanically supporting the plurality of probe sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Maury Microwave, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary R. Simpson
  • Patent number: 7804355
    Abstract: A system and method for managing distribution of wideband radio frequency signals includes detecting an impedance signature of a device connected at the end of transmission medium. A switch is opened to apply a wideband radio frequency signal to a transmission medium for distribution. A biasing voltage can be applied to the transmission medium based on the detected impedance signature. A signal conditioning circuit is selected based on the amplitude of the biasing voltage, and the wideband radio frequency signal is distributed to an output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Z-Band, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Saar, Robert D. Stine, Earl Hennenhoefer, Richard V. Snyder
  • Patent number: 7795989
    Abstract: A circuit matches the load impedance of an electronic device. The circuit comprises an impedance network, a control circuit suitable for varying the impedance of said network and a sensor coupled with said network and said load and suitable for detecting the ratio between the incident and reflected standing waves in transferring power from the electronic device to the load; the sensor is suitable for providing two signals substantially proportional to the incident and reflected amplitude of the waves at the control circuit. The impedance network is a network of variable resistances and the control circuit is suitable for varying the value of the resistances to lower said ratio between the incident and reflected standing waves to a value that ensures the transfer of power from the electronic device to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Antonino Scuderi, Francesco Carrara, Calogero Davide Presti, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Patent number: 7795990
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a power amplifier, comprising tunable impedance matching circuit including a plurality of tunable dielectric varactors and a DC voltage source interface capable of providing voltage to said plurality of said tunable dielectric varactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Paratek Microwave, Inc.
    Inventors: Cornelis Frederik du Toit, Deirdre A Ryan
  • Patent number: 7795988
    Abstract: The invention relates to a compact automatic impedance adapter in a waveguide, characterised in that the impedance is controlled by plungers, filling the entire guide with a magic-tee coupler plane E/plane H modifying the electrical and magnetic field, one plunger modifying the electrical field (E) in the guide and the second modifying the magnetic field (H).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Univerisite des Sciences et Technologies de Lille-USTL
    Inventors: Frederic Bue, Christophe Gaquiere, Nicolas Vellas, Damien Ducatteau
  • Patent number: 7786819
    Abstract: An apparatus including a matching circuit; a first variable reactance component, having a first range of reactance values, and connected to the matching circuit and connectable to an antenna element operable in a first frequency band and a second frequency band; a second variable reactance component, having a second range of reactance values, and connected to the matching circuit; a detector for detecting a parameter, indicative of the impedance of the apparatus, over at least a part of the first range and second range of reactance values; and a controller configured to determine, using information provided by the detector, optimum ratios of second reactance values to first reactance values, at a frequency in the first frequency band, and configured to select a first optimum ratio when the second frequency band is greater than the first frequency band and configured to select a second different optimum ratio when the second frequency band is less than the first frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Juha S. Ella, Janne P. Kylakoski
  • Patent number: 7777152
    Abstract: An RF blocking filter isolates a two-phase AC power supply from at least 2 kV p-p of power of an HF frequency that is reactively coupled to a resistive heating element, while conducting several kW of 60 Hz AC power from the two-phase AC power supply to the resistive heating element without overheating, the two-phase AC power supply having a pair of terminals and the resistive heating element having a pair of terminals. The filter includes a pair of cylindrical non-conductive envelopes each having an interior diameter between about one and two inches and respective pluralities of fused iron powder toroids of magnetic permeability on the order of about 10 stacked coaxially within respective ones of the pair of cylindrical envelopes, the exterior diameter of the toroids being about the same as the interior diameter of each of the envelopes. A pair of wire conductors of diameter between 3 mm and 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Valentin N. Todorov, Michael D. Willwerth, Alexander Paterson, Brian K. Hatcher, James E. Sammons, III, John P. Holland
  • Patent number: 7777567
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) generator for applying RF power to a plasma chamber includes a DC power supply (B+). A radio frequency switch generates the RF power at a center frequency f0. A low-pass dissipative terminated network connects between the DC power supply (B+) and the switch and includes operates at a first cutoff frequency. The switch outputs a signal to an output network which improves the fidelity of the system. The output network generates an output signal fed to a high-pass subharmonic load isolation filter that passes RF power above a predetermined frequency. A low-pass harmonic load isolation filter may be inserted between the output network and the high-pass subharmonic load isolation filter, and a high-pass terminated network may connect to the output of the output network. The high-pass terminated network dissipates RF power above a predetermined frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Salvatore Polizzo
  • Patent number: 7764140
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for delivering power to a dynamic load. The system includes a power supply providing DC power having a substantially constant power open loop response, a power amplifier for converting the DC power to RF power, a sensor for measuring voltage, current and phase angle between voltage and current vectors associated with the RF power, an electrically controllable impedance matching system to modify the impedance of the power amplifier to at least a substantially matched impedance of a dynamic load, and a controller for controlling the electrically controllable impedance matching system. The system further includes a sensor calibration measuring module for determining power delivered by the power amplifier, an electronic matching system calibration module for determining power delivered to a dynamic load, and a power dissipation module for calculating power dissipated in the electrically controllable impedance matching system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Siddharth P. Nagarkatti, Michael Kishinevsky, Ali Shajii, Timothy E. Kalvaitis, William S. McKinney, Jr., Daniel Goodman, William M. Holber, John A. Smith, Ilya Bystryak
  • Patent number: 7750752
    Abstract: Programmable SAW filter module are provided to overcome undesirable drawbacks, limitations and shortcomings associated with “in-line” SAW filters, such as insertion loss, propagation loss and strong signal capture effects. The programmable SAW filter modules remove the SAW structure from the primary signal path, adding signal gain to drive the splitter and using the SAW portion of the circuit as a programmable impedance element. The programmable SAW filter module includes an amplifier, an impedance, a surface acoustic wave propagation element, a splitter, input and output IDT electrodes, input and output interdigitated transducers, means for gain control and a combiner to combine or sum the signals received from the output IDT electrodes and form an output signal. The input and output IDT's are fully integrated circuits comprising the power splitter and power combiner functions, the phase shift, and gain functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: John A. Kosinski
  • Publication number: 20100164639
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an adaptive impedance matching network having an RF matching network coupled to at least one RF input port and at least one RF output port and comprising one or more controllable variable reactive elements. The RF matching network can be adapted to reduce a level of reflected power transferred from said at least one input port by varying signals applied to said controllable variable reactive elements. The one or more controllable variable reactive elements can be coupled to a circuit adapted to map one or more control signals that are output from a controller to a signal range that is compatible with said one or more controllable variable reactive elements. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: PARATEK MICROWAVE, INC.
    Inventor: William E. McKinzie, III
  • Publication number: 20100164640
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a matching network having one or more controllable variable reactive elements coupled to at least one input port and at least one output port. The one or more controllable variable reactive elements can be adapted to increase power transferred from the at least one input port to the at least one output port responsive to signals generated by a controller adapted to adjust one or more reactances within the matching network according to a mode of operation of a device detected by the controller. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: PARATEK MICROWAVE, INC.
    Inventor: WILLIAM E. McKINZIE, III
  • Publication number: 20100164641
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having one or more controllable variable reactive elements coupled to at least one input port and at least one output port, and a voltage detector coupled to the at least one output port to provide voltage information to a controller. The controller can be adapted to generate one or more control signals responsive to the voltage information provided by the voltage detector. The one or more controllable variable reactive elements can be coupled to a circuit adapted to map the one or more control signals that are output from the controller to a signal range that is compatible with said one or more controllable variable reactive elements. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: PARATEK MICROWAVE, INC.
    Inventor: William E. McKinzie, III
  • Publication number: 20100156552
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure can include, for example, an apparatus having a matching network adapted to reduce a magnitude of a signal reflection at a port of the matching network. The matching network can have one or more controllable variable reactive elements. A controller can be adapted to determine reflection coefficient information from incident and reflected waves sampled at the port of the matching network, and follow at least one cycle of a coarse tune process for generating one or more control signals to tune one or more reactances of the one or more controllable variable reactive elements. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: PARATEK MICROWAVE, INC.
    Inventors: William E. McKinzie, III, Heinz Bachmann, Greg Mendolia
  • Patent number: 7738653
    Abstract: A method of selecting an optimum impedance for a loop start trunk line, comprising successively applying respective ones of a plurality of impedance settings to the loop start trunk line, for each impedance setting measuring the impulse response of the trans-hybrid echo path by applying audio test signals to obtain a time-domain trans-hybrid transfer function and deriving a frequency-domain spectrum representative of trans-hybrid loss, and then calculating figure of merit of the transfer function based on the power spectrum. Once all impedance settings have been tested, the optimum impedance is selected as the impedance setting associated with the highest calculated figure of merit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
    Inventors: Yonghua Fang, Mirjana Popovic, Dieter Schulz
  • Patent number: 7728692
    Abstract: In order to reduce noise on twisted metallic pair signal conductors, circuits are disclosed in which the signal balance between the wires of the pair is significantly improved, thereby reducing the line's susceptibility to external electromagnetic interference and equally reducing its ability to radiate signals into the surrounding medium. Further, the common mode impedance of the wire pair as seen at or close to the junction with the terminating equipment is controlled in order to reduce the ability of signals external to the wire pair to couple into the wire. This reduces noise in the line, as perceived by connected equipment, leading to an increase in the data carrying capacity of the line and the usable length of the line carrying such data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Accell Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: John Fortier
  • Patent number: 7729427
    Abstract: A system and method for transferring data between a transmitter and a receiver over a single conductor is disclosed. During a data transfer operation of bit of information, the voltage level on the conductor is changed from a first voltage level to a second voltage level and maintained at the second voltage level for a predetermined duration of time. The predetermined duration of time is determined by the logical state of the data bit being transmitted. Upon expiration of the predetermined duration of time the voltage level on the conductor is driven back to substantially the first voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: Chung Y. Kwok
  • Patent number: 7714676
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising an RF matching network connected to at least one RF input port and at least one RF output port and including one or more voltage or current controlled variable reactive elements and wherein the RF matching network is adapted to maximize RF power transferred from the at least one RF input port to the at least one RF output port by varying the voltage or current to the voltage or current controlled variable reactive elements to maximize the RF voltage at the at least one RF output port. The variable reactive elements may be variable capacitances, variable inductances, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Paratek Microwave, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. McKinzie, III
  • Patent number: 7706770
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an on-chip antenna interface, coupled to an off-chip antenna interface having at least one off-chip filter component that forms a programmable filter with the at least one off-chip filter component. The programmable filter is programmable based on a control signal. An RF receiver generates inbound data in response to a received signal from the programmable filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran
  • Publication number: 20100079167
    Abstract: A differential voltage mode driver and digital impedance calibration of same is provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method of calibrating a differential driver circuit having a plurality of parallel driver stages, the differential driver circuit for driving a differential signal over a transmission line having an impedance, the method including determining an indication of an impedance of a plurality of parallel replica stages, wherein the plurality of parallel replica stages are replicas of the plurality of parallel driver stages, determining a number of the plurality of parallel replica stages to approximately match the measured impedance with the transmission line impedance, and activating a number of the plurality of parallel driver stages equal to the number of the plurality of parallel replica stages. In another embodiment, the invention relates to a differential voltage mode driver using at least one H-bridge driver stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventor: Bo Bogeskov Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20100073103
    Abstract: Methods for generating a look-up table relating a plurality of complex reflection coefficients to a plurality of matched states for a tunable matching network. Typical steps include measuring a plurality of complex reflection coefficients resulting from a plurality of impedance loads while the tunable matching network is in a predetermined state, determining a plurality of matched states for the plurality of impedance loads, with a matched state determined for each of the plurality of impedance loads and providing the determined matched states as a look-up table. A further step is interpolating the measured complex reflection coefficients and the determined matching states into a set of complex reflection coefficients with predetermined step sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventors: John H. Spears, Wayne E. Smith, Chenggang Sui, Yongfei Zhu
  • Publication number: 20100073104
    Abstract: An impedance matching network includes a first input port that receives radio frequency (RF) power and includes an input impedance, an output port that provides the RF power and includes an output impedance, and a variable capacitance module that varies the output impedance. The variable capacitance module includes a first variable capacitor, a second variable capacitor, a first motor, and a second motor that adjusts a capacitance of the second variable capacitor. A relationship between a desired value of the capacitance and an actual value of the capacitance is dependent on a capacitance of the first variable capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: MKS INSTRUMENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel H. Cotter, Sean O. Harnett
  • Patent number: 7671693
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to tunable impedance matching networks and methods for the use of such networks. In one example, a method includes identifying state information about a mobile device, accessing a memory to identify a configuration of an impedance matching network based on the state information, and applying the values from the configuration to the impedance matching network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Brobston, Xu Zhu, Seong Eun Kim
  • Publication number: 20100026410
    Abstract: A transceiver device and an impedance matching method are provided. In the impedance matching method, a plurality of matching modes is set. Each matching mode includes a default impedance and a corresponding default power. In addition, one of the matching modes is selected for outputting a transmission signal to a load. Besides, a response signal derived from the transmission signal is received. Further, whether the default impedance is matched with an impedance of the load or not is determined according to a parameter of the response signal. Thereby, the echo signal can be restrained from being generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: IC Plus Corp.
    Inventor: Tsu-Chun Liu
  • Patent number: 7646267
    Abstract: A segmented, electro-mechanical, remotely controlled programmable impedance tuner for the frequency range between 10 and 200 MHz uses a cascade of three continuously variable mechanical capacitors interconnected by a set of two low loss flexible or semi-rigid cables; the electrical length of the interconnecting cables between the capacitors determines the frequency at which tuning coverage of the entire area of the Smith chart is optimum; for maximum impedance coverage the length is to be chosen such as to generate a transmission phase shift of 60 degrees at the center frequency between each capacitor stage. Remote tuning is possible by changing the value of the capacitors using electrical stepper motors. The tuner is calibrated using a vector network analyzer and the data are saved in the memory of the control computer, which then allows tuning to any user defined impedance within the tuning range. Reflection factor values between 0 and higher than 0.9 can be obtained using this tuner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Inventor: Christos Tsironis
  • Patent number: 7642879
    Abstract: An impedance matching apparatus 3 calculates a forward wave voltage Vfo and a reflected wave voltage Vro at an output terminal 3b, based on a forward wave voltage Vfi and a reflected wave voltage Vri at an input terminal 3a, on information on variable values of variable capacitors VC1, VC2 acquired in advance through measurement, and on a T parameter of the impedance matching apparatus 3 corresponding to the information on the variable values of variable capacitors VC1, VC2. The impedance matching apparatus 3 calculates an input reflection coefficient ?i at the input terminal 3a corresponding to the information on the variable values of the variable capacitors VC1, VC2, based on the forward wave voltage Vfo, the reflected wave voltage Vro and the T parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Daihen Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Matsuno
  • Publication number: 20090322443
    Abstract: An impedance tuner may include a transmission media for propagating RF signals, a reflection magnitude control device mounted in a fixed position relative to a direction of signal propagation along said transmission media, and a phase shifter to control a reflection phase. A multi-section probe for an impedance tuner system may include a plurality of probe sections and a holder structure for mechanically supporting the plurality of probe sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventor: Gary R. Simpson
  • Patent number: 7633355
    Abstract: A variable matching circuit includes a variable capacitance circuit formed of a capacitor coupled to varactor diode and provided between terminals, and a resonator-type circuit includes a plurality of inductors and a variable capacitance circuit formed of a capacitor and a varactor diode. The inductors and the variable capacitance circuit are coupled in parallel together. The resonator-type circuit is connected in shunt with the terminal. The foregoing structure forms an L-type matching circuit. The bias of the varactor diodes can be thus varied, and plural values of the inductance of the resonator-type circuit can be switched over with a FET. The variable matching circuit can electrically control an impedance conversion available for wider ranges of frequency bandwidths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Michiaki Matsuo
  • Patent number: 7619488
    Abstract: A resistance adjusting circuit including a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a reference voltage generating circuit which generates a reference voltage corresponding to a resistance of an external resistor element connected to the semiconductor integrated circuit, a comparison voltage generating circuit which comprises a replica resistor circuit whose resistance is adjusted according to a resistance control signal and generates a comparison voltage corresponding to a resistance of the replica resistor circuit, a main body resistor circuit which has substantially the same configuration as that of the replica resistor circuit and whose resistance is adjusted according to the resistance control signal, and a control signal generating circuit which receives the reference and comparison voltages and converts the voltages to frequency signals corresponding to the voltages, integrates the frequency signals to produce integration data of the frequency signals, and generates the resistance control signal based
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shuichi Takada, Takeshi Abiru