With Variation Of Antenna Impedance Or Dimension For Modulation Patents (Class 455/107)
  • Patent number: 11863151
    Abstract: A multiplexer includes a first filter circuit including a pass band that is a first frequency band, a second filter circuit including a pass band that is a second frequency band, and an additional circuit. The first filter circuit includes a first terminal connected to a common terminal and a second terminal connected to a first input/output terminal. The second filter circuit includes a third terminal connected to the common terminal and a fourth terminal connected to a second input/output terminal. The additional circuit is connected to the fourth terminal and one of the first and second terminals and includes a series-arm circuit on a series-arm path connecting the fourth terminal to the one of the terminals and a parallel-arm circuit on a parallel-arm path connecting the series-arm path to the ground. The parallel-arm circuit includes only an inductor, a capacitor, or an LC parallel-arm resonant circuit in series with the parallel-arm path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junpei Yasuda, Kenichi Uesaka, Tomohisa Komura, Kentaro Funahashi, Shizuka Kawamura
  • Patent number: 11552618
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method capable of performing immediate impedance matching according to changes of a distance and positions between TX/RX coils. The present invention includes: an impedance adjustment unit including a voltage-controlled variable capacitance device; a power detector configured to detect a reflection signal which enters the transmitter or receiver when there is no impedance matching to measure a magnitude of the reflection signal and convert the reflection signal into a DC signal; a multiplier configured to multiply the DC signal with a periodic signal; an integrator configured to accumulate and add a signal in which the DC signal and the periodic signal are multiplied; and a voltage summer configured to sum a signal output from the integrator with a reference voltage to calculate a capacitance control voltage to be applied to the voltage-controlled variable capacitance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jong Hyuk Park
  • Patent number: 11489547
    Abstract: A radio frequency module includes: a module board that includes a first principal surface and a second principal surface on opposite sides of the module board; a power amplifier; and a first circuit component. The power amplifier includes: a first amplifying circuit element; a second amplifying circuit element; and an output transformer that includes a primary coil and a secondary coil. An end of the primary coil is connected to an output terminal of the first amplifying circuit element. Another end of the primary coil is connected to an output terminal of the second amplifying circuit element. An end of the secondary coil is connected to an output terminal of the power amplifier. The first amplifying circuit element and the second amplifying circuit element are disposed on the first principal surface. The first circuit component is disposed on the second principal surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru Tsuchida, Daerok Oh, Takahiro Katamata, Satoshi Goto, Mitsunori Samata, Yoshiki Yasutomo
  • Patent number: 10903915
    Abstract: A system for generating a self-receive signal including: a signal generator; a signal processor including an analog-to-digital converter; and an antenna. The system also includes a passive coupling device including: an antenna port electromagnetically coupled to the antenna; a transmit port electromagnetically coupled to the signal generator; and a receive port electromagnetically coupled to the signal processor. The system additionally includes an impedance matching network: electromagnetically interposed between the antenna port and the antenna; and configured to shift an impedance of the antenna to a load impedance different from a characteristic impedance of the passive coupling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: ZaiNar, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Kratz, Mainak Chowdhury
  • Patent number: 10643962
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a World Band Radio Frequency Power Amplifier and a World Band Radio Frequency Front End Module. The World Band Power Amplifier can contain at least one broadband power amplifier connected to a switch which can direct an RF input signal to a plurality of transmission paths, each transmission path configured for a different frequency. A power amplifier module has a forward power (FP) sensor and a reflective power (RP) sensor. A Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) Processing Control Circuit (VPCC) is configured to tune the matching antenna for optimal radio frequency operation and protect the power amplifier in conjunction with the power amplifier protection controller. The World Band RFFE Module is more integrated version of the World Band Power Amplifier that can contain broadband RF PA(s), switches, logic controls, filters, duplexers and other active and passive components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Micro Mobio Corporation
    Inventors: Ikuroh Ichitsubo, Shinsuke Inui, Guan-Wu Wang, Weiping Wang, Zlatko Filipovic, Kanya Kubota
  • Patent number: 10476452
    Abstract: Adjustable load line amplifier circuits may comprise a power amplifier that has a signal input terminal to receive an input signal, a powered signal output terminal to be coupled to a load that has changing impedances, and a transistor array of transistor cells operatively coupled in parallel between the signal input terminal and the powered signal output terminal such that the transistor cells are independently configured to amplify the input signal present at the signal input terminal and effect a selected load line impedance of the transistor array that corresponds to at least one of the changing impedances of the load. The transistor array controller may be configured to effect the selected load line impedance by selectively activating one or more of the transistor cells and/or providing the transistor cells with a selectable operating voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Alireza Shapoury, Brian Kenneth Kormanyos
  • Patent number: 10010262
    Abstract: An impedance measuring circuit has an amplification circuit connected to a target and to amplify a predetermined input signal with a gain corresponding to an impedance in the target and to output an output signal, a peak hold circuit to hold a peak value of the output signal and to output a hold value, and an impedance calculation circuit to calculate the impedance in the target based on the hold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Sinnyoung Kim, Shinji Nakatsuka, Daisuke Kurose
  • Patent number: 9722674
    Abstract: A method for close proximity communication is disclosed. The method comprises detecting a signal transmitted by a close proximity communication (CPC) device at one of a distance of greater than or less than a CPC detection perimeter with a multi-mode magnetic induction communication (MMMIC) device with at least one antenna. The method further comprises identifying the type of device transmitting the detected signal. The method further comprises enabling the MMMIC device to communicate with the close proximity communication device at one of the distance of greater than the CPC detection perimeter and the distance of less than the CPC detection perimeter based on the type of device that is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: FREELINC TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Douglas Howard Dobyns
  • Patent number: 9640863
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a device and a method for antenna impedance matching. The device comprises an application detection module, configured to detect a current state of an antenna of a terminal, and output a matching adjustment signal according to the state; an adaptive control module, configured to perform control over a process of matching adjustment in response to the matching adjustment signal; and a matching adjustable module, configured to, under control of the adaptive control module, perform matching adjustment on impedance of the antenna through an impedance matching network corresponding to the matching adjustment signal. Through the technical solution provided by the disclosure, the problem of single impedance matching mode in the prior art is solved, and further, the effect that differential matching can be performed for various application states of the terminal is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shaowu Shen
  • Patent number: 9566449
    Abstract: An implantable neural stimulator method for modulating excitable tissue in a patient including: implanting a neural stimulator within the body of the patient such that one or more electrodes of the neural stimulator are positioned at a target site adjacent to or near excitable tissue; generating an input signal with a controller module located outside of, and spaced away from, the patient's body; transmitting the input signal to the neural stimulator through electrical radiative coupling; converting the input signal to electrical pulses within the neural stimulator; and applying the electrical pulses to the excitable tissue sufficient to modulate said excitable tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Micro Devices, LLC
    Inventors: Laura Tyler Perryman, Patrick Larson, Chad Andresen
  • Patent number: 9559732
    Abstract: A wireless apparatus including: an amplification circuit configured to generate a second signal by amplifying power of a first signal, a calculation circuit configured to calculate a deviation amount of phase deviation of the second signal from the first signal, and a correction circuit configured to correct the phase deviation using a correction method that is selected from a plurality of correction methods based on the deviation amount, the plurality of correction methods among which each power consumption is higher as each correction amount corresponding to each power consumption is greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Shizawa, Hirotoshi Kanno, Yasushi Seino, Junya Morita, Tsuneaki Tadano
  • Patent number: 9535110
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting an operating characteristic mismatch at an output of an amplifier by using a replica circuit is presented. In one exemplary case, a detected voltage difference at the output of the two circuits is used to drive a tuning control loop to minimize an impedance mismatch at the output of the amplifier. In another exemplary case, the replica circuit is used to detect a fault in operation in a corresponding main circuit. A method for detecting a load mismatch in a main RF circuit using the replica circuit is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Dan William Nobbe
  • Patent number: 9438279
    Abstract: A communication device includes a transmitter (TX), a receiver (RX), one or more adaptively-tunable Electrically-Small Antennas (ESAs), and a control unit. The transmitter is configured to produce a TX signal for transmission on a TX frequency band. The receiver is configured to process an RX signal received on an RX frequency band. The adaptively-tunable ESAs are configured to transmit the TX signal on the TX frequency band and to receive the RX signal on the RX frequency band. The control unit is configured to adaptively tune respective responses of the one or more ESAs in the TX or RX frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: ALTAIR SEMICONDUCTOR LTD.
    Inventors: Dima Feldman, Yigal Bitran
  • Patent number: 9407315
    Abstract: A transmission filter allows a signal in the frequency band of a transmission signal to pass through the transmission filter and blocks signals in other frequency bands. The transmission signal output from the transmission filter is supplied to an antenna via an antenna sharing device and transmitted to the outside. A reflected-signal detector senses the amplitude and the phase of a reflected signal from the antenna and outputs detection signals (DA and DP). A control circuit adjusts control signals (CA and CP) on the basis of the detection signals (DA and DP). A cancellation-signal-output circuit adjusts a cancellation signal in such a manner that the cancellation signal has a phase opposite to that of the reflected signal and an amplitude the same as that of the reflected signal by using the control signals (CA and CP). A multiplexer combines the cancellation signal with a received signal including a noise signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidenori Obiya, Shinya Mizoguchi, Shinya Hitomi
  • Patent number: 9048536
    Abstract: A mobile communication device and an impedance matching method thereof are provided. The mobile communication device includes an antenna, a power amplifier, a tunable matching circuit, a power detection circuit and a controller. The tunable matching circuit determines an output impedance encountered by a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitted by the power amplifier to the antenna when the RF signal enters the tunable matching circuit. The power detection circuit detects a forward power of the RF signal entering the antenna and a reflected power of the antenna. The controller tunes the tunable matching circuit according to a frequency range currently used by the mobile communication device, the forward power and the reflected power to steer the output impedance toward a corresponding load-pull impedance that the power amplifier has in the frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Chien-Ting Ho, Chun-Wei Hsu, Chung-Chi Lai, Chih-Chin Su, Wan-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 9031523
    Abstract: A method for measuring an impedance of an antenna includes generating, by a signal source coupled to the antenna, a radio frequency (RF) signal, applying the RF signal to a directional coupler, and mixing, by a first mixer, a first signal from the directional coupler with a signal, wherein the first signal corresponds to a reflected power from the antenna. The method further includes mixing, by a second mixer, a second signal with the signal, wherein the second signal is offset from the first signal by ninety degrees. The method further includes outputting, by a first lower pass filter (LPF) coupled to an output of the first mixer, a real part of a reflection coefficient of the antenna and outputting, by a second lower pass filter (LPF) coupled to an output of the second mixer, an imaginary part of the reflection coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventor: William David Anderson
  • Patent number: 9026060
    Abstract: A bidirectional matching network is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a first matching circuit connected in a first signal path between a node and a first amplifier, the first matching circuit configured to translate an off-state impedance of the first amplifier to a first translated off-state impedance. The apparatus also includes a second matching circuit connected in a second signal path between the node and a second amplifier. The second matching circuit configured to translate an off-state impedance of the second amplifier to a second translated off-state impedance. The second translated off-state impedance is configured to reduce power loss associated with a first signal flowing in the first signal path and the first translated off-state impedance is configured to reduce power loss associated with a second signal flowing in the second signal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Danial Ehyaie, Mazhareddin Taghivand
  • Patent number: 9026050
    Abstract: In a communication circuit, an RFIC includes an IO terminal and a control IC includes an IO terminal. A variable capacitance element includes control terminals, a capacitance element with a capacitance value that is determined according to a control voltage, and a resistance voltage divider circuit configured to generate the control voltage by dividing a voltage inputted to the control terminals. One of the RFIC and the control IC supplies control data to the variable capacitance element via a signal line. The variable capacitance element, along with an antenna coil, constitutes an antenna circuit of an LC parallel resonance circuit, and sets a resonant frequency of the antenna circuit to be a predetermined frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Ikeda, Nobuo Ikemoto, Naoki Gouchi, Toshiyuki Nakaiso, Katsumi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9020420
    Abstract: An antenna module embeds front end circuitry with an antenna. Adaptive matching circuitry external to the antenna module is electrically connected between the embedded front end circuitry and the embedded antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Jasper Display Corp.
    Inventors: Ching-Juang Peng, Wei-Hsuan Lee, Jin-Tsang Jean, Yi-Ching Pao
  • Patent number: 8954022
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a feedback receiver comprising a threshold comparator configured to determine if the amplitude of a baseband signal is within a selection corridor (e.g., defined by an upper and lower threshold value). If the amplitude is within the selection corridor, a feedback receiver is configured to accumulate RF signal samples (e.g., amplitude and phase samples) over a time period. The accumulated RF signal samples, which correspond to substantially constant baseband amplitude values, are then averaged. The calculated averages are utilized for impedance measurements used tune an antenna tuner to limit impedance mismatch. By limiting RF amplitude and phase sample collection to associated baseband signals having an amplitude falling within the selection corridor, substantially equal average amplitudes and phases can be achieved over a relatively short measurement period (i.e., without the need for long measurement period).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventor: Grigory Itkin
  • Patent number: 8948707
    Abstract: A transceiver module and duplexer within a communication device supports a minimized antenna volume and enhances a transfer gain for transmit and receive channels. The duplexer is communicatively coupled to one of multiple antenna and filter matching configurations which include a first configuration that couples receive and transmit filter matching circuits to a single antenna matching circuit. When the duplexer is coupled to the first configuration, receive and transmit filters of the duplexer are respectively coupled to the receive filter matching circuit and the transmit filter matching circuit. As a result, the antenna matching circuit and the filter matching circuits collectively provide the enhanced transfer gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Richard E. Mach, Gregory R. Black
  • Patent number: 8929842
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in a communication device with an antenna protects a body from electromagnetic fields. The apparatus includes a sensing unit to sense a surrounding environment of the communication device, a variable element to perform a variable operation according to a voltage or current applied thereto. The apparatus further includes a variable element control unit to control the voltage or current according to the surrounding environment sensed by the sensing unit to cause the variable element to perform the variable operation, and an intelligent periodic structure coupled with the variable element, the intelligent periodic structure being configured to change an operation frequency of the wireless communication device according to the variable operation of the variable element and adjust a radiation pattern direction of the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Sang il Kwak, Jong Hwa Kwon, Dong-Uk Sim
  • Patent number: 8918064
    Abstract: A transmitter front-end for wireless chip-to-chip communication, and potentially for other, longer range (e.g., several meters or several tens of meters) device-to-device communication, is disclosed. The transmitter front-end includes a distributed power amplifier capable of providing an output signal with sufficient power for wireless transmission by an on-chip or on-package antenna to another nearby IC chip or device located several meters or several tens of meters away. The distributed power amplifier can be fully integrated (i.e., without using external components, such as bond wire inductors) on a monolithic silicon substrate using, for example, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Farid Shirinfar, Med Nariman, Maryam Rofougaran, Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8918067
    Abstract: The impedance of the elements of a capacitor array in the transmitter is kept substantially constant over changes in process, temperature, and supply voltage. The impedance is maintained substantially constant by compensating a gate voltage supplied to switches in each element of the capacitor array to adjust for changes in temperature and supply voltage to thereby maintain a substantially constant RC product for each unit element in the capacitor array and thereby improve the quality factor of the capacitor array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: James F. Parker, Jeffrey L. Sonntag
  • Patent number: 8907680
    Abstract: A voltage detector for detecting a voltage generated in a second resonant coil that is disposed to face a first resonant coil and that performs at least one of electric power transmission and electric power reception to and from the first resonant coil in a contactless manner by means of electromagnetic resonance includes: a first high-impedance element having one end connected to one end of the second resonant coil; a second high-impedance element having one end connected to the other end of the second resonant coil; a low-impedance element connected between the other end of the first high-impedance element and the other end of the second high-impedance element and having an impedance smaller than each of those of the first and second high-impedance elements; and an output terminal for outputting a signal associated with a voltage applied across the low-impedance element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Shinji Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 8897734
    Abstract: The invention provides circuitry integrated into a silicon chip that measures aspects of an RF signal on a transmission line in order to provide data that is ultimately used by an antenna tuner circuit to substantially match the impedance of the antenna with that of the transmission line providing the RF frequency to be transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ericsson Modems SA
    Inventor: Janne Olavi Peltonen
  • Patent number: 8892059
    Abstract: A wireless communication circuit includes a sensing unit, a control unit and a wireless communication unit. The sensing unit is for detecting existence of a surrounding object, to generate a sensing signal. The control unit is coupled to the sensing unit, for generating a control signal according to the sensing signal. The wireless communication unit is coupled to the control unit, for adaptively adjusting a circuit configuration of the wireless communication unit according to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Jieng Tai International Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Chung-Yen Yang
  • Patent number: 8892057
    Abstract: A carrier aggregation radio system is provided. The carrier aggregation radio system includes a transceiver having a main receiver, a diversity receiver and a carrier aggregation receiver. The carrier aggregation radio system further includes a control system adapted to command a radio front end to route diversity signals from a diversity antenna to the main and diversity receivers in a first mode and to command the radio front end to route carrier aggregation signals from the diversity antenna to the carrier aggregation receiver in a second mode. The control system may also command a third mode in which diversity signals are routed to the main and diversity receivers while carrier aggregation signals are routed to the carrier aggregation receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Nadim Khlat
  • Patent number: 8868010
    Abstract: A synthetic-frequency RF transmitter is provided for transmitting an electromagnetic signal via an electrically short antenna. The transmitter comprises a reactive energy storage with an effective reactance adapted to form with the antenna a resonance circuit with a resonance frequency and a driver adapted to provide to the resonance circuit an electric transmission signal having an instantaneous frequency that varies in dependence on an information signal. The transmitter is characterized in that the transmitter is adapted to dynamically change the resonance frequency by changing the effective reactance in dependence on the information signal. Thus, the instantaneous pass-band of the resonance circuit may be controlled to substantially always comprise the instantaneous frequency of the electric transmission signal and thus of the electromagnetic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventor: Kåre Tais Christensen
  • Patent number: 8855581
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for a transformer in an integrated circuit package are provided. In this regard, signals may be transmitted and/or received via an antenna communicatively coupled to a transformer embedded in multi-layer integrated circuit package. The windings ratio of the transformer may be configured based on an impedance of the antenna, an impedance of a transmitter coupled to the transformer, an impedance of an LNA coupled to the transformer, and/or a power level of the received and/or transmitted signals. The windings ratio may be configured via one or more switching elements which may be MEMS switches embedded in the multi-layer IC package. The transformer may comprise a plurality of loops fabricated on a corresponding plurality of metal layers in the multi-layer IC package, and the loops may be communicatively coupled with one or more vias. The multi-layer IC package may comprise ferromagnetic and/or ferromagnetic materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8855584
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to transmission circuitry of a wireless communication device. The transmission circuitry includes power amplifier circuitry, an output matching network, and impedance control circuitry. The power amplifier circuitry amplifies a radio frequency (RF) input signal to provide an amplified RF output signal, which is passed through the output matching network and transmitted via one or more antennas. As the center frequency of the RF input signal and conditions of operating parameters change, the impedance control circuitry adjusts the values of one or more variable impedance elements of the output matching network in a desired fashion. The values of the variable impedance elements are adjusted such that the output matching network concurrently and dynamically presents the desired load impedances at the center frequency and at one or more harmonics of the RF input signal to achieve a given performance specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Harris, Raymond S. Pengelly
  • Patent number: 8824961
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for polling for near field communications (NFC) devices by checking for multiple protocols. A NFC device polls for devices by first maintaining an unmodulated carrier field active for a specific period of time. The NFC device then polls using a first modulation and waits for a response. If there is no response, and without again maintaining another unmodulated carrier field for a specific period of time, the NFC device polls using a second modulation that is greater than the first modulation and waits again for a response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Philip Stewart Royston
  • Patent number: 8818303
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to transmission circuitry of a wireless communication device. The transmission circuitry includes power amplifier circuitry, an output matching network, and impedance control circuitry. The power amplifier circuitry amplifies a radio frequency (RF) input signal to provide an amplified RF output signal, which is passed through the output matching network and transmitted via one or more antennas. As the center frequency of the RF input signal and conditions of operating parameters change, the impedance control circuitry adjusts the values of one or more variable impedance elements of the output matching network in a desired fashion. The values of the variable impedance elements are adjusted such that the output matching network concurrently and dynamically presents the desired load impedances at the center frequency and at one or more harmonics of the RF input signal to achieve a given performance specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Harris, Raymond S. Pengelly
  • Patent number: 8811914
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam are disclosed. For example, the method receives the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam via a metamaterial having a plurality of addressable magnetic elements, where a resonant frequency of each of the plurality of addressable magnetic elements is capable of being programmably changed via an adjustment, and activates selectively a subset of the plurality of addressable magnetic elements to manipulate the terahertz frequency electromagnetic beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: David Michael Britz, Robert Raymond Miller, II
  • Patent number: 8768267
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of band pass filters to pass signals in separated frequency bands to or from an antenna. A matching network provides characteristic impedances. The system is designed such that the configuration of the matching network and BPFs provides high impedance to the band pass filters for those routing paths other than the band pass path as these routing paths do not transmit or receive the signals at this particular pass band. The system is further designed such that the configuration of the matching network and BPFs provides minimal insertion loss for the band pass path of for transmission and receipt of signals at this particular pass band, where each routing path has a corresponding pass band. The matching network is for coupling to an amplifier, when frequency separation is needed at the output of the amplifier to the BPFs. In one embodiment an impedance network tunes the impedance by using varying length transmission lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Hollinworth Fund, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Woo Yong Lee, Ajay Gummalla, Maha Achour, Cheng Jung Lee
  • Patent number: 8761698
    Abstract: A transmit circuit includes a power amplifier configured to amplify an RF input signal to obtain an RF output signal, and an antenna tuner configured to transform an antenna impedance to an impedance at an input of the antenna tuner, wherein the input of the antenna tuner is coupled to an output of the power amplifier. The transmit circuit further includes a bias controller configured to control a bias of the power amplifier, wherein the bias controller is configured to provide a bias control signal to adjust the bias of the power amplifier based on a determination of a measure of a load impedance provided to the power amplifier by the antenna tuner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Langer
  • Patent number: 8731496
    Abstract: A power amplifier power controller in the power amplifier system monitors various operating conditions of the power amplifier, and controls the output transmit power of the power amplifier by coordinated control of both the input drive level to the power amplifier and the gain of the power amplifier. The power amplifier power controller controls the input drive level to the power amplifier so that the input drive level does not change substantially while adjusting the gain of the power amplifier to maximize the transmit power. The power amplifier power controller may also adjust the input drive level by some portion of the overall change required to the power of the power amplifier, while adjusting the gain of the power amplifier by the remaining portion of such overall change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Quantance, Inc.
    Inventors: Serge Francois Drogi, Martin Tomasz, Vikas Vinayak
  • Patent number: 8699965
    Abstract: A low loss quarter wave Radio Frequency (RF) relay switch apparatus and method provides more efficient transmission of RF energy to downstream antenna switching elements in an antenna switching network. The antenna switching network may include multiple antenna multiplexer modules which are configured to operate in a local use configuration or a pass through configuration. The antenna multiplexer modules are designed for maximum efficiency in the pass through configuration acting virtually lossless when passing through RF energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark W. Duron
  • Patent number: 8649747
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for optimizing communication performance based on antenna polarization, comprising transmitting a data stream to a client device using at least one antenna structure having one or more antenna polarization, determining a need to adjust antenna polarization, selecting an antenna from the at least one antenna structure, determining an antenna polarization adjustment based on a level of communication performance of the at least one antenna structure, and dynamically making the antenna polarization adjustment for the data stream being transmitted using the selected antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Netgear, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Emmanuel, Patrick A. Rada
  • Patent number: 8644779
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method of realizing an antenna matching in accordance with a user's body effect and a state of a mobile device are provided. The method includes determining a state of the mobile device on a basis of a call mode and at least one of whether an external device is connected to the mobile device, whether a receiver is being used, whether a speaker is being used, and whether a proximity sensor is activated, determining an optimal Tunable Matching Network (TMN) circuit adjustment value in accordance with the determined state, and performing the antenna matching in accordance with the optimal TMN circuit adjustment value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Joo Shin, Jae Ho Lee, Wan Sang Ryu, Da Jeong Kim, Ji Yeon Yun, Jin Woo Jung
  • Patent number: 8639203
    Abstract: An antenna system for reception of channel signals form the UHF band by a receiver, including an electrically small antenna and, connected between the port connected to the antenna and that of the receiver, an active impedance matching device controlled by command signals depending on the quality of the signal received by the receiver to compensate for the impedance variations due to the environment associated with the antenna and to reject the frequencies of interfering channels adjacent to the reception channel without interfering with the active impedance matching of the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Robert, Philippe Minard, Brice Praho
  • Patent number: 8639286
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a broadband, closed-loop RF transmitter for multi-band applications that employs a single RF path to service multiple bands of operation. Embodiments of the present disclosure implement a broadband impedance matching module, which avoids the need for several costly and complex narrow-band matching networks. In an embodiment, the broadband impedance matching module includes concentric, mutually-coupled inductors. By adding this broadband impedance matching functionality, delay is significantly reduced because a single path can be used to service multiple bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mohamed A. Mostafa, Derek Shaeffer
  • Publication number: 20140018020
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods, apparatuses, and systems related to a wireless communication device using time-variant antenna. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Seong-Youp Suh, W. Dawson Kesling
  • Patent number: 8611834
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to transmission circuitry of a wireless communication device. The transmission circuitry includes power amplifier circuitry, an output matching network, and impedance control circuitry. The power amplifier circuitry amplifies a radio frequency (RF) input signal to provide an amplified RF output signal, which is passed through the output matching network and transmitted via one or more antennas. As the center frequency of the RF input signal and conditions of operating parameters change, the impedance control circuitry adjusts the values of one or more variable impedance elements of the output matching network in a desired fashion. The values of the variable impedance elements are adjusted such that the output matching network concurrently and dynamically presents the desired load impedances at the center frequency and at one or more harmonics of the RF input signal to achieve a given performance specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Harris, Raymond Sydney Pengelly
  • Patent number: 8611845
    Abstract: This invention describes a method by which the output power of a circuit or system at any point can be efficiently and cost effectively sampled in a simple and broadband fashion for processing in a closed loop system for applications such as power level control in very broadband circuits. A divider circuit consisting of a selection of passive lumped elements is used to create a very broadband means of sampling the RF power level at any point in a transmission line. Unlike prior art schemes of this nature, this circuit does not rely upon extremely accurate element values and minimization of parasitic reactances. Used in conjunction with a balanced detector-logarithmic or other amplifier combination this invention result in a very broadband low cost simplified realization of the traditional costly bandwidth limited directional coupler-detector combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Inventor: Anand Ganesh Basawapatna
  • Patent number: 8600319
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a feedback receiver comprising a threshold comparator configured to determine if the amplitude of a baseband signal is within a selection corridor (e.g., defined by an upper and lower threshold value). If the amplitude is within the selection corridor, a feedback receiver is configured to accumulate RF signal samples (e.g., amplitude and phase samples) over a time period. The accumulated RF signal samples, which correspond to substantially constant baseband amplitude values, are then averaged. The calculated averages are utilized for impedance measurements used tune an antenna tuner to limit impedance mismatch. By limiting RF amplitude and phase sample collection to associated baseband signals having an amplitude falling within the selection corridor, substantially equal average amplitudes and phases can be achieved over a relatively short measurement period (i.e., without the need for long measurement period).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventor: Grigory Itkin
  • Patent number: 8600320
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device includes a portable housing, a transmitter carried by the portable housing and configured to modulate an input signal, and an adjustable impedance matching network coupled downstream from the transmitter. An antenna is coupled downstream from the adjustable impedance matching network, and a non-directional coupler is coupled between the adjustable impedance matching network and the antenna. A feedback receiver is coupled to the non-directional coupler to generate a feedback signal. A controller is configured to control the adjustable impedance matching network based upon the input signal and the feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Khurram Muhammad
  • Patent number: 8565695
    Abstract: A method and a device for determining the amplitude and the phase of an impedance connected on a transmission line, including a bidirectional coupler having a first line interposed on the transmission line and having a second line providing at its respective ends two measurement signals, and a balun having its respective differential-mode inputs receiving data representative of the measurement signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS
    Inventors: Benoît Bonnet, Sylvain Charley, François Dupont
  • Patent number: 8554277
    Abstract: A microwave transmission assembly comprising a combiner comprising first and second input ports and internal and external output a ports; the combiner being adapted to transfer a signal received at microwave frequency f1 at the first input port to the external output port and signals received at other frequencies to the internal output port; the combiner being further adapted to transfer a signal at a microwave frequency f2 at the second input port to the external output port and signals received at the other frequencies to the internal output port; a resistive load connected to the internal output port; and, a power dependent reflective load connected in series with the resistive load, the power dependent reflective load comprising a reactive element, the reactive element comprising an inductive component and a capacitive component and being adapted to resonate at a load frequency; the impedance of the capacitive component being adapted to drop when the incident microwave power received by the power dependen
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Filtronic Wireless Limited
    Inventors: Bosse Franzon, Jan-Erik Lundeberg, Rune Johansson, Torbjorn Lindh, Claudia Muniz Garcia, John David Rhodes
  • Patent number: 8543071
    Abstract: As relates to automatic matching of antenna impedance for a radiofrequency transmit or receive circuit, an impedance matching network is inserted between an amplifier and antenna. The current i and output (resp. input) voltage V of the amplifier and their phase shift are measured, the complex impedance defined by V/i is deduced; the impedance of the antenna is calculated as a function of this complex impedance and the known existing values of the adjustable impedances of the matching network. New adjustable values of impedances of the matching network to obtain a desired overall load impedance for the amplifier are calculated on the basis of the calculated antenna impedance value, and the matching network is controlled to adjust the adjustable impedances to these new values. The measurement is made at a measurement frequency different from the working frequency to allow automatic matching without interrupting normal operation of the chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Majid El Kaamouchi, Jean-Baptiste David, Emeric De Foucauld