Automatically Controlled Patents (Class 455/123)
  • Patent number: 11217410
    Abstract: A relay driver circuit is connected between an upper stage relay and a lower stage relay and is configured to be driven in response to driving of the upper relay. The relay driver circuit drives the lower stage relay. The relay driver circuit includes a semiconductor component, a control input line, a protective component, and a buffer circuit. The semiconductor component switches on and off the lower relay. The control input line is electrically connected to a control terminal of the semiconductor component. A power supply voltage is applied to the control input line via the upper stage relay. The protective component is connected in the control input line to protect the semiconductor component. The buffer circuit is connected between the protective component in the control input line and the control terminal of the semiconductor component to compensate for a voltage drop due to the protective component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignees: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Aoyama, Hiroshi Kimoto, Shinji Oshita, Nobutoshi Hagiwara, Kenichi Takayoshi, Hiroki Onoyama, Takumi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10291456
    Abstract: Automatic frequency controllers, automatic frequency control methods, wireless communication devices, and/or wireless communication methods are provided. The automatic frequency controllers for correcting a frequency offset between a base station and a terminal includes at least one processor communicatively coupled to a memory and configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory to obtain a phase estimate from a reference signal received from the base station; classify a downlink channel as a High Speed Train (HST) channel or a non-HST channel based on the phase estimate; adjust a loop gain according to the classified downlink channel; calculate a phase error based on the phase estimate and the loop gain; correct the frequency offset using the phase error; and communicate with the base station after correcting the frequency offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-yun Kang, Min-ho Shin, Hyun-ju Go
  • Patent number: 9241339
    Abstract: A method is performed in an electronic device for emphasizing frequency blocks containing priority data. The method includes: determining to communicate data in a plurality of allocated frequency blocks; identifying a first subset of the plurality of allocated frequency blocks that contain data having a higher priority than data in a second subset of the plurality of allocated frequency blocks; and emphasizing, during data communication, the first subset of the plurality of allocated frequency blocks, which contain the data having the higher priority, over the second subset of the plurality of allocated frequency blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Gregory R. Black, William P. Alberth, Jr., Armin W. Klomsdorf
  • Patent number: 9129741
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and system for transferring power wirelessly to electronic devices. The system can utilize magnetic coupling between two coils at close proximity to transfer sufficient power to charge an electronic device. Embodiments of the invention pertain to an array of spiral coils that can be used to transmit power for transfer to receiver coils. Potential applications of this technology include charging consumer electronic devices (cell phones, laptops, PDAs, etc), developing hermetically sealed devices for extreme environments, and less invasive transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) systems. Various embodiments of the subject system can be referred to as PowerPad system. Embodiments can incorporate one or more of the following: planar inductors, PCB transformers, and very high frequency power supplies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Ryan Tseng
  • Patent number: 9042816
    Abstract: Aspects disclosed herein relate to improving tuning of a NFC coil for operation in one or more modes based on a distance between a NFC device and a remote NFC device. In one example, a NFC device may be configured to detect that a NFC device is within a first threshold of a first distance from a remote NFC device. The NFC device may be further configured to determine whether a NFC coil is tuned for use with a first operational mode associated with the first distance. The NFC device may also be configured to re-tune the NFC coil to the first operational mode based on a determination that the NFC coil is not tuned for use with the first operational mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen Frankland
  • Patent number: 9036759
    Abstract: A method performed by a device for performing synchronization between devices for a Device-to-Device (D2D) communication is provided. The method includes setting, according to a process of the device, the device to a group of devices for performing a dynamic switching; outputting a synchronization signal corresponding to the set group as a signal for setting synchronization in a physical layer; controlling, upon receiving another synchronization signal from another device, the outputting of the synchronization signal by applying a time offset according to a relation between the set group that includes the device and the group that includes the another device; and setting, if the synchronization signal and the another synchronization signal are converged, synchronization of the device based on a time point where the synchronization signal is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Seung-Hoon Park, Chi-Woo Lim, Nam-Yoon Lee, Kyung-Kyu Kim
  • 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: 8976302
    Abstract: A radio frequency front end for a television band receiver and spectrum sensor includes a low noise amplifier that amplifies a received signal output of a radio frequency antenna connected to the radio frequency front end, a pin diode attenuator circuit that selectively attenuates an output of the low noise amplifier, and a buffer amplifier that amplifies an output of the pin diode attenuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Wi-LAN, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Birkett, Vajira Samarasooriya, Jung Yee
  • Patent number: 8892062
    Abstract: Methods for reducing power dissipation from an input power source in a telecommunications system are disclosed. In one embodiment the method includes: utilizing a first I2C device to monitor an input voltage and input current to a remote unit; providing the input voltage and input current to a main microprocessor for calculating an input power; utilizing a second I2C device to monitor an output voltage and output current from the remote unit; providing the output voltage and output current to the main microprocessor for calculating an output power; calculating a power efficiency of the remote unit at the main microprocessor based on the input power and the output power; utilizing a third I2C device to provide the power efficiency of the remote unit to a digital power manager; and utilizing the digital power manager to control the DA trim output to a DC/DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Simon P. Whittam, John S. Gryba, Michael W. Parrell
  • Patent number: 8861641
    Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a mixer that multiplies quadrature-modulated transmission data by a local oscillation frequency signal and outputs a high-frequency signal; a distributor that distributes the high-frequency signal; a detector circuit that detects a direct current component included in the high-frequency signal, based on the high-frequency signal distributed by the distributor; a correction signal generating unit that generates a correction signal for removing the direct current component from the high-frequency signal, based on the direct current component detected by the detector circuit; a correction unit that corrects the high-frequency signal by the correction signal generated by the correction signal generating unit; and a transmission unit that transmits the high-frequency signal that has been corrected by the correction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinya Oka, Takashi Okada
  • Patent number: 8837635
    Abstract: Embodiments provide systems and methods to dynamically control a radio frequency (RF) transmitter based on monitored error vector magnitude (EVM) performance. Embodiments are enabled by a feedback path that allows estimating the EVM at the output of the transmitter and controlling the transmitter, including the power amplifier (PA), accordingly. As such, the transmitter (and the PA) can be operated as close as possible to the ideal operating point that meets, based on actual conditions, a specified EVM performance and desired output power. By doing so, the overall power consumption of the transmitter is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Lorenz, Djordje Tujkovic
  • Patent number: 8824986
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multichannel radio-frequency receiver (1) for electromagnetic waves, having a radio-frequency analogue section (2) which has an input (3) for an electrical signal of a receiving device (4), and having an lower-frequency section (8, 9) which is connected downstream from the radio-frequency analogue section (2) and has a plurality of parallel channels (6b, 6c; 7b, 7c) for respectively different signal strengths and an evaluation circuit, in which a signal divider (5) is provided in the radio-frequency analogue section (2) in order to split the signal in accordance with a predeterminable division ratio into signal elements which can be supplied to radio-frequency analogue channels (6a, 7a), downstream from which the channels (6b, 6c; 7b, 7c) of the lower-frequency section (8, 9) are respectively connected, and the channels (6b, 6c; 7b, 7c) of the lower-frequency section (8, 9) each have an evaluation circuit for detection of the phase and amplitude of the respective signal element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Selex ES GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Gekat, Dieter Rühl
  • Patent number: 8792937
    Abstract: A computing device with a configurable antenna. The antenna is configured through a switching circuit operating under software control. Operating characteristics of the antenna are configured based on connections between conducting segments established by the switching circuit, allowing the nominal frequency, bandwidth or other characteristics of the antenna to be configured. Because the switching is software controlled, the configurable antenna may be integrated with a software defined radio. The radio and antenna can be reconfigured to support communication according to different wireless technologies at different times or to interleave packets according to different wireless technologies to support concurrent sessions using different wireless technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Amer A. Hassan, Christian Huitema
  • Patent number: 8781417
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a transceiver, an antenna tuner connecting said transceiver to an antenna, a power sensor adapted to acquire measurements about transmit power, a receive signal strength indicator (RSSI) adapted to acquire measurements about receive power and wherein said tuner tunes said antenna based upon said transmit and receive measurements to optimize said antenna in both the receive and transmit bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Guillaume Alexandre Blin
  • Patent number: 8750811
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for using an antenna selection signal for selecting a transmit diversity parameter, including phase difference and/or power ratio between concurrently transmitting antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Haim Harel, Sherwin J. Wang
  • Patent number: 8725214
    Abstract: A Method of Tuning a Frequency Agile Electrically Small Tactical AM Broadcast Band Antenna System (NC#102174) comprising determining a desired operating frequency for a frequency agile electrically small tactical AM broadcast band antenna system; configuring tophat jumpers of the frequency agile electrically small tactical AM broadcast band antenna system to operate near the desired operating frequency; erecting an antenna of the frequency agile electrically small tactical AM broadcast band antenna system; transmitting a signal through the frequency agile electrically small tactical AM broadcast band antenna system; adjusting inductor values of an antenna tuning unit of the frequency agile electrically small tactical AM broadcast band antenna system so that the frequency agile electrically small tactical AM broadcast band antenna system operates at the desired operating frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Ken Allen Crawley
  • Patent number: 8712348
    Abstract: An apparatus and method manage impedance values in a radio in a wireless network. The apparatus includes a tunable matching network (TMN) positioned on a path between a transceiver and an antenna. The TMN includes a plurality of immittance elements. A voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) detector is configured to detect a ratio of a signal passing the VSWR detector and a signal reflected from the TMN. A control circuit is configured to identify an operating setting for the radio, set a number of the immittance elements based on the operating setting, monitor the ratio detected by the VSWR detector, and modify a setting of at least one of the immittance elements based on the ratio detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael L. Brobston, Xu Zhu, Au Duy Bui, George Z. Hutcheson
  • Patent number: 8706051
    Abstract: Provided is a device and a method for adjusting a loop filter gain in an automatic frequency controller, which can allow the automatic frequency controller to operate while maintaining an optimal performance. The device includes a velocity estimator for estimating a change in velocity in accordance with a movement of a terminal; a loop filter gain controller for controlling a loop filter gain in accordance with a change in velocity received from the velocity estimator; and a loop filter gain unit for multiplying a loop filter gain received from the loop filter gain controller and a frequency error for output. Further, there is provided a method for adjusting a loop filter gain in an automatic frequency controller, having the steps of: estimating a change in velocity in accordance with a movement of a terminal; adjusting a loop filter gain in accordance with the estimated change in velocity; and multiplying the adjusted loop filter value and a frequency error for output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Soo-Jin Park, Chae-Man Lim
  • Patent number: 8700108
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing, an antenna carried by the housing, and a circuit board carried by the housing. The mobile wireless communications device may also include a power amplifier carried by the circuit board, an antenna switch carried by the circuit board and configured to selectively couple the power amplifier to the antenna, a first radio frequency (RF) shield covering the power amplifier and the antenna switch, and a second RF shield within the first RF shield and covering the antenna switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Prabhu V. Patil, Roberto Gautier, Paul Brian Koch, Adrian Piseu Davis, Nirajkumar Patel
  • Patent number: 8666524
    Abstract: A hand-held music player for use in conjunction with radios, including a casing, a receiver socket on the casing through which digital audio data is received, a digital-to-analog audio converter housed within the casing, a first transfer socket on the casing through which a song is transferred to a radio transmitter, a second transfer socket on the casing through which meta-data for the song is transferred to the radio transmitter, and a dial on the casing for selecting a song for playback. A method and a computer-readable storage medium are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Catch Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Yaacov Ben-Yaacov, Boaz Ben-Yaacov
  • Patent number: 8655290
    Abstract: An antenna with a built-in filter for use in an electronic device includes: an antenna element; and a circuit board unit connected to the antenna element, wherein the circuit board unit includes: a filter circuit that filters input and output signals of the antenna element; and a matching circuit that performs impedance matching of the antenna element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Yagi, Youichi Ushigome
  • Patent number: 8620236
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for limiting tuning of a matching network having variable reactive elements coupled to a variable load impedance to at least reduce an undesirable effect caused by an RF signal. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Keith R. Manssen, Matthew R. Greene, Wayne E. Smith, Guillaume Blin
  • Patent number: 8583183
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing transmission parameter control at a transmitting station is described. The exemplary system and method comprises querying a transmission parameter control module for a transmission schedule. The transmission schedule comprises at least one schedule entry defining a set of transmission parameter controls as they pertain to a destination address. At least one packet of data is then transmitted to the destination address according to the transmission parameters controls of at least one schedule entry from the transmission schedule. A system and method for selecting an antenna configuration corresponding to a next transmission of packet data is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ruckus Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: William Kish, Victor Shtrom, John Chanak
  • Patent number: 8494539
    Abstract: A method for congestion management in a radio access network is provided. The radio network controller maintains available bandwidth information for each of the downstream links towards the base stations. The radio network controller also measures incoming traffic for each such link and for various traffic classes and uses the traffic measurements and available bandwidth to predict congestion conditions. Upon detecting a congestion condition, congestion avoidance mechanisms such as controlled discard and back-pressure are activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Mieczyslaw Juliusz Surazski, Luc Noiseux, Mauro Jose Galarda Martins
  • Patent number: 8494601
    Abstract: The communication device includes: a first body; a second body; a connecting portion that connects the first body and the second body, so as to be capable of switching between a closed state in which the first body and the second body are superimposed with each other, and an opened state in which a degree of mutual superimposition is smaller than that of the closed state; a first conductive portion that is disposed in the first body; a second conductive portion that is disposed in the second body; a signal line that electrically connects the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion via the inside of the connecting portion; a first antenna, which is disposed in at least one of the first body and the second body, and which is electrically connected to the first conductive portion or the second conductive portion; and a second antenna, which is disposed in at least one of the first body and the second body, and which is capacitively coupled with the first conductive portion or the second conduc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishizono, Shin Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8489109
    Abstract: A mobile wireless device enables effective use of space in a case while reducing degradation of antenna gain and maintaining communication quality even if a plurality of antennas having different frequency bands are arranged close to one another. A magnetic antenna has a first switch unit, a second switch unit, and a concentrated constant circuit which are added to a wiring pattern at the side near to a main antenna, so that a first path and a second path can be selected. Under a predetermined condition, a CPU controls the first switch and the second switch to electrically connect terminal (A1) to terminal (B1) and electrically connect terminal (A2) to terminal (B2), thereby forming the first path; and electrically connect terminal (A1) to terminal (C1) and electrically connect terminal (A2) to terminal (C2), thereby forming the second path connected via the concentrated constant circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Waku, Tadashi Koyama, Kunihiko Watanabe, Mitsuhiro Nishizono, Katsuji Morishita, Takeshi Iwanaga, Daisuke Togashi
  • Patent number: 8472904
    Abstract: In various embodiments, systems and methods for automatically tuning an antenna to a desired frequency utilize a tuning detection element that sends or receives a signal in accordance with one mode of the antenna and that is separated from the antenna by a gap and outside of a signal path of the antenna. In various system implementations, a processor communicates with the tuning detection element and antenna and monitors the amplitude of a signal transmitted to or from the tuning detection element. A resonant frequency of the antenna may be tuned to the desired frequency by a tuning element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas W. White
  • Patent number: 8457569
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a transceiver, an antenna tuner connecting said transceiver to an antenna, a power sensor adapted to acquire measurements about transmit power, a receive signal strength indicator (RSSI) adapted to acquire measurements about receive power and wherein said tuner tunes said antenna based upon said transmit and receive measurements to optimize said antenna in both the receive and transmit bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion RF, Inc.
    Inventor: Guillaume Blin
  • Patent number: 8452246
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to techniques for automatically measuring antenna mismatching conditions for a given mobile phone with a given antenna in a given environment and on a given frequency. In particular, some embodiments use a two way directional coupler coupled between a radio frequency (RF) transmitter output (e.g., analog front end) and an antenna tuner. This two-way directional coupler is coupled to a mismatch calculator, which is often implemented as a software algorithm, to accurately tune an antenna tuner to limit impedance mismatch. Consequently, changes in impedance mismatch can be tracked and compensated for so the user will not experience degradations in signal quality, thereby helping reduce the number of dropped calls, for example. Also, because power is tracked and radiated more accurately, these techniques save battery energy relative to conventional solutions and can stay on-line longer with optimum transmitting conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventor: Grigory Itkin
  • Patent number: 8452299
    Abstract: In addition to other aspects disclosed, a portable base station requests a mobile handset to measure signal strengths associated with a portion of a code space. The portable base station also sends a message that represents the signal strength measurements to a remotely located control station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Airvana LLC
    Inventor: Balaji Raghothaman
  • Patent number: 8436693
    Abstract: A method to track and control the resonance frequency of a band-pass filter provides a solution for the sensitivity limitations against temperature and process variations. A phase sensing module obtains the phase difference between the input and output and a negative feed-back control architecture can be used to tune the filter's resonance over the input RF frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventors: Bassem Fahs, Patrick A. Y. Ozenne
  • Patent number: 8412136
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, the magnitude and phase angle of looking-in impedance driven by an amplifier are computed in digital domain during normal operation within a module containing the amplifier. In an embodiment, the computed magnitude and phase angle are used for impedance matching at a node driven by the amplifier. As a result, impedance matching may be obtained even in situations when the impedance changes during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Apu Sivadas, Gireesh Rajendran, Subhashish Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 8406358
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) apparatus has a receiver. The receiver includes a mixer, a clock generator, and a common mode controller. The clock generator couples to the mixer. The common mode controller couples to the outputs of mixer. The mixer, the clock generator and the common mode controller are operated collectively to program linearity and a gain of the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Gregory Uehara, Brian Brunn, Xiaohua Fan, Sehat Sutardja
  • Patent number: 8369796
    Abstract: A wireless device using natural higher order harmonics on multi-band reconfigurable antenna designs where the antenna higher order resonance is used to build a multi-band to multi-band frequency reconfigurable antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Helen K. Pan, Songnan Yang, Debabani Choudhury, Vijay K. Nair
  • Patent number: 8340714
    Abstract: A computing device with a configurable antenna. The antenna is configured through a switching circuit operating under software control. Operating characteristics of the antenna are configured based on connections between conducting segments established by the switching circuit, allowing the nominal frequency, bandwidth or other characteristics of the antenna to be configured. Because the switching is software controlled, the configurable antenna may be integrated with a software defined radio. The radio and antenna can be reconfigured to support communication according to different wireless technologies at different times or to interleave packets according to different wireless technologies to support concurrent sessions using different wireless technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Amer A. Hassan, Christian Huitema
  • Patent number: 8320850
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to combining tunable antenna matching circuit adjustments and RF power amplifier output power adjustments of a first RF terminal in response to output power adjustment commands received from a second RF terminal. The output power adjustment commands may be part of an output power control loop between the first RF terminal and the second RF terminal to control the output power from the first RF terminal. The first RF terminal may include an RF receiver, an RF power amplifier, and a tunable antenna matching circuit coupled between an output of the RF power amplifier and an antenna. The tunable antenna matching circuit adjustments may be impedance adjustments of the tunable antenna matching circuit and the RF power amplifier output power adjustments may result from adjustments to one or more input signals to the RF power amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Nadim Khlat
  • Patent number: 8306489
    Abstract: A circuit for a loop antenna having a first antenna terminal and a second antenna terminal with an antenna impedance, and method for tuning an overall impedance that has an antenna impedance of a loop antenna and a tuning impedance, with an output amplifier for amplifying a transmit signal that has an output for connection to the first antenna terminal of the loop antenna, with a tuning device designed for automatic tuning that has a terminal, which is separated from the output of the output amplifier for connection to the second antenna terminal, in which the tuning device has an adjustable tuning impedance that is connected to the terminal, in which the tuning device has a measurement device that is connected to the tuning impedance in order to measure a voltage amplitude across the tuning impedance, in which the tuning device has a computing unit that is connected to the measurement device and the adjustable tuning impedance, and in which the computing unit is designed for automatic adjustment of the tunin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Marco Schwarzmueller, Holger Schulz, Werner Blatz, Uwe Erben
  • Patent number: 8285228
    Abstract: A signal transmitting circuit includes: a signal generating circuit arranged to generate an output signal to a loading device according to an input signal; an adjusting circuit; and a matching circuit having a first port coupled to the adjusting circuit and a second port coupled to the signal generating circuit, wherein the second port is arranged to couple to the loading device so as to provide a matching impedance corresponding to the loading device; and the adjusting circuit is arranged to generate an adjusting signal of which a voltage applied on the first port is substantially equal to a voltage of the output signal applied on the second port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventor: Wen-Hua Chang
  • Patent number: 8260347
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to a circuit for efficient wireless communication. The circuit includes a communication port adapted to be coupled to an antenna feed. Multiple communication paths stem from the communication port, where different communication paths are associated with different frequency bands. Multiple phase shift selection circuits are respectively associated with the multiple communication paths. The phase shift selection circuits have different respective impedances relative to the communication port and the respective impedances vary for the different frequency bands. Other methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventors: Weimin Tang, Ern Tang Chu, Chao Li
  • Patent number: 8233861
    Abstract: A system for transmitting a broadband signal over an electrically short antenna which includes a plurality of switched impedance synthesis transmit antenna matching circuits which are dynamically controlled with knowledge of the transmitting broadband signal to match the dynamic impedance of the electrically short antenna during transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Cripe, Scott L. Patten, Jeremiah D. Wolf, James B. West
  • Patent number: 8233856
    Abstract: A communications circuit processes a signal in at least one predetermined communications standard such as GSM or UMTS. A switched capacitor impedance matching unit is provided, controlled by driver control unit. The driver control unit is arranged to control the driver to start switching of the capacitors of the switched capacitor array during transition periods in the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: EPCOS AG
    Inventors: Adrianus Van Bezooijen, Jacobus G. Sneep, Maurice De Jongh
  • Patent number: 8219053
    Abstract: A system and method of automatically tuning a reading device that remotely monitors RFID tags or transponders. The reading device utilizes the phase signal of an antenna signal wherein the harmonic of the antenna signal is filtered through a signal coupling transformer and utilizes the antenna current reading to determine the optimal capacitance setting for the reader by adjusting capacitors and storing the relative phase signal and level of current in a processor. In one embodiment, the method comprises supplying power to the reading device, monitoring the power supply, storing data related to the monitored power supply, emitting a signal from an antenna, filtering the harmonic of such signal, outputting the phase signal to a processor and adjusting capacitors based on the phase signal and monitored current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Destron Fearing Corporation
    Inventors: Ezequiel Mejia, Yuri Smirnov
  • Patent number: 8213886
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a transceiver, an antenna tuner connecting the transceiver to an antenna, a power sensor adapted to acquire measurements about transmit power, a receive signal strength indicator (RSSI) adapted to acquire measurements about receive power and wherein the tuner tunes the antenna based upon the transmit and receive measurements to optimize the antenna in both the receive and transmit bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Paratek Microwave, Inc.
    Inventor: Guillaume Blin
  • Patent number: 8204458
    Abstract: A transmitting device comprising a transmitter, an antenna and a tuning means comprising a matching network connectable between the transmitter and the antenna, the matching network comprising a plurality of capacitors; characterized in that the tuning means further comprises a means of selectively individually adjusting the capacitors to increase the output power of the transmitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Laurent Gauthier
  • Patent number: 8200168
    Abstract: A programmable antenna assembly includes a configurable antenna structure, a configurable antenna interface, and a control module. The configurable antenna structure includes a plurality of antenna elements that, in response to an antenna configuration signal, are configured elements into at least one antenna. The configurable antenna interface module is coupled to the at least one antenna and, based on an antenna interface control signal, provides at least one of an impedance matching circuit and a bandpass filter. The control module is coupled to generate the antenna configuration signal and the antenna interface control signal in accordance with a first frequency band and a second frequency band such that the at least one antenna facilitates at least one of transmitting and receiving a first RF signal within the first frequency band and facilitates at least one of transmitting and receiving a second RF signal within the second frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8195229
    Abstract: A device includes a gyrating circuit that generates a motion parameter based on motion of the device. An RF transceiver generates an outbound RF signal from an outbound symbol stream, transmits the outbound RF signal to a remote station of a wireless network, and generates an inbound symbol stream from an inbound RF signal received from the at least one remote station. A processing module processes the motion parameter to produce motion data, converts outbound data into the outbound symbol stream, converts the inbound symbol stream into inbound data, compares current motion data to past motion data, detects when a difference between the current motion data and the past motion data compares unfavorably to a motion change threshold, and include the motion data in the outbound data when the difference between the current motion data and the past motion data compares unfavorably to the motion change threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8190109
    Abstract: Real-time calibration of a tunable matching network that matches the dynamic impedance of an antenna in a radio frequency transmitter system. The radio frequency transmitter system includes two non-linear equations that may be solved to determine the reflection coefficient of the antenna. The tunable matching network is repeatedly perturbed and the power reflected by the antenna is measured after each perturbation at the same node within the tunable matching network. The power values are used by an optimizer in converging to a solution that provides input impedance of the antenna. The elements of the matching circuit are adjusted to match the input impedance of the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Shirook Ali, James Paul Warden, Mohamed Bakr
  • Patent number: 8185062
    Abstract: A configurable antenna assembly includes an antenna structure and a configurable antenna interface. The antenna structure is operable, in a first mode, to provide a first antenna structure and a second antenna structure, wherein the first antenna structure receives an inbound radio frequency (RF) signal and the second antenna structure transmits an outbound RF signal. The configurable antenna interface is operable in the first mode to provide a first antenna interface and a second antenna interface, wherein the first antenna interface is configured in accordance with a receive adjust signal to adjust at least one of phase and amplitude of the inbound RF signal, and wherein the second antenna interface is configured in accordance with a transmit adjust signal to adjust at least one of phase and amplitude of the outbound RF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran, Maryam Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 8170627
    Abstract: A wireless communication system having a terminal unit operates in a reduced noise state during receipt of a wireless transmission from a control unit. The terminal unit includes terminal circuitry, a radio and noise management circuitry. The noise management circuitry partially or fully disables operation of the terminal circuitry during a receipt by the radio. Noise management circuitry may disable a terminal processor, disable interrupts, buffer interrupts and otherwise modify operation of the terminal circuitry to reduce generated radio noise that would otherwise interfere with receipt of data by the radio. The wireless communication system includes noise management circuitry located in a control unit that operates in conjunction with noise management circuitry in a first terminal unit and a second terminal unit to schedule transmissions from the control unit. These scheduled transmissions allow the terminal units to perform required processing functions outside of the reduced noise period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Robert J. Grabon, John K. Rohde, Robert J. Traeger, Patrick R. Erb, Daniel E. Alt, Daniel J. Klostermann
  • Patent number: 8145124
    Abstract: Delivery of programming from a content provider to one or more hand held devices is effected via a set-top box (STB). The STB receives a transport stream, recognizes and de-multiplexes out a co-cast content association table containing a list of all available co-cast programming, and broadcasts table to the one or more hand held devices. Each hand held device displays the list and a program therefrom is selected. The selection is transmitted to the STB, which de-multiplexes out the selection from the delivered programming, and re-multiplexes the requested co-cast programming into a transport stream for broadcast to the requesting hand held device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: Fathy Yassa