Gain Control Patents (Class 455/232.1)
  • Patent number: 11973491
    Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to a surface acoustic wave filter with an integrated temperature sensor. The integrated temperature sensor can be a resistive thermal device configured as a reflective grating for a surface acoustic wave resonator, for example. A radio frequency system can provide over temperature protection by reducing a power level of a radio frequency signal provided to the surface acoustic wave filter responsive to an indication of temperature provided by the integrated temperature sensor satisfying a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua James Caron, Joel Anthony Penticoff
  • Patent number: 11490451
    Abstract: Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a receiver device may identify an analog to digital converter (ADC) clipping rate for one or more measurement windows. The receiver device may modify, based at least in part on a determination that the ADC clipping rate does not satisfy a threshold, a low noise amplifier (LNA) gain value to be used by the receiver device. The receiver device may receive a signal using the modified LNA gain value. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Siavash Ekbatani
  • Patent number: 11410669
    Abstract: A wearable audio device is provided. The wearable audio device may include a first array of microphones linearly arranged on the wearable audio device at a positive angle relative to a horizontal axis of the wearable audio device. The microphones of the first array may be configured to capture far-field audio. The wearable audio device may include a second array of microphones linearly arranged on the wearable audio device at a negative angle relative to the horizontal axis. The microphones of the second array may be configured to capture near-field audio. The wearable audio device may include circuitry arranged to (1) generate a user voice audio signal based on the captured near-field audio, (2) generate a desired audio signal based on the captured far-field audio, and (3) generate a differentiated signal based on the desired audio signal and the user voice audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Cedrik Bacon
  • Patent number: 11381311
    Abstract: An analog distributed antenna system having a set of small cells as a signal source is provided. A proposed cellular communication system includes an upper small cell unit including upper protocol processors configured to process an upper first part of a protocol stack of a small cell, a lower small cell unit including lower protocol processors configured to process a remaining second part of the protocol stack of the small cell, and a first matching switch configured to respectively match the lower protocol processors to a plurality of remote units. According to one aspect, the cellular communication system includes a common controller configured to control activation of the plurality of upper protocol processors of the upper small cell unit and the plurality of lower protocol processors of the lower small cell unit according to a required service capacity and appropriately control an operation of the first matching switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: SOLiD Inc.
    Inventors: Young Man Cho, Hee Hwan Kwak
  • Patent number: 11328740
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a first audio signal is received via a first microphone, and a first probability of voice activity is determined based on the first audio signal. A second audio signal is received via a second microphone, and a second probability of voice activity is determined based on the first and second audio signals. Whether a first threshold of voice activity is met is determined based on the first and second probabilities of voice activity. In accordance with a determination that a first threshold of voice activity is met, it is determined that a voice onset has occurred, and an alert is transmitted to a processor based on the determination that the voice onset has occurred. In accordance with a determination that a first threshold of voice activity is not met, it is not determined that a voice onset has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Jung-Suk Lee, Jean-Marc Jot
  • Patent number: 11327166
    Abstract: In the proposed low complexity technique a hierarchical approach is created. An initial FFT based detection and range estimation gives a coarse range estimate of a group of objects within the Rayleigh limit or with varying sizes resulting from widely varying reflection strengths. For each group of detected peaks, demodulate the input to near DC, filter out other peaks (or other object groups) and decimate the signal to reduce the data size. Then perform super-resolution methods on this limited data size. The resulting distance estimations provide distance relative to the coarse estimation from the FFT processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Murtaza Ali, Dan Wang, Muhammad Zubair Ikram
  • Patent number: 11328135
    Abstract: This application discloses example radio frequency identification systems and example methods for constructing a relay network, a reader, and a repeater. One example radio frequency identification system includes a reader, a repeater, and a target tag. The reader can be configured to send a first signal to the repeater. The repeater can be configured to send an excitation signal to the target tag based on the first signal. The target tag can be configured to send a target backscatter signal based on excitation of the excitation signal, where the target backscatter signal carries electronic product code information. The reader can be further configured to receive the target backscatter signal and obtain the electronic product code information in the target backscatter signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huaizhi Zhang, Sunjie Wang, Bo Han, Lang Wang, Mei Jian, Junfeng Gao
  • Patent number: 11290197
    Abstract: There is provided a calibration device including: a calibration signal supply unit configured to supply, as a calibration input signal, a multitone signal having tones in a plurality of frequency bands to a converter configured to multiply an input signal by each of a plurality of signal patterns and limit a band to obtain each of a plurality of bandpass signals, and reconstruct an output signal in accordance with an input signal from the plurality of bandpass signals; a calibration bandpass signal acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of calibration bandpass signals obtained by the converter in response to the multitone signal; and a calibration processing unit configured to calibrate a parameter for the reconstruction in the converter based on the plurality of calibration bandpass signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignees: ADVANTEST CORPORATION, TOUDAI TLO, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Asami, Tetsuya Iizuka, Zolboo Byambadorj
  • Patent number: 11251827
    Abstract: A front-end module is provided. The front-end module includes a reception amplifier configured to amplify a received radio-frequency (RF) signal, first and second series switches configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect an output terminal of the reception amplifier and first and second reception ports to each other, a radio-frequency (RF) splitter configured to simultaneously transfer a received RF signal, amplified by the reception amplifier or bypassing the reception amplifier, to the first and second reception ports, first and second shunt switches configured to control a switching operation to electrically connect a ground and first and second branch nodes between the RF splitter and the first and second reception ports to each other, and first and second reflected wave removing impedance elements electrically connected between the first and second branch nodes and a ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nack Gyun Seong, Ju Young Park
  • Patent number: 11171609
    Abstract: A detector circuit includes: a squaring circuit configured to receive an output of a power amplifier of a radio transmitter and to produce an output current, the output of the power amplifier including: a desired tone; a local oscillator leakage tone; and an image tone, and the output current of the squaring circuit including: a direct current (DC) component including a function of the desired tone and an alternating current (AC) component; and a DC current absorber electrically connected to an output terminal of the squaring circuit, the DC current absorber being configured to filter out the DC component of the output current of the squaring circuit to produce a filtered output of the squaring circuit, the filtered output including the AC component including functions of the local oscillator leakage tone and the image tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hariharan Nagarajan, Ashutosh Verma, Chung Lau, Tienyu Chang
  • Patent number: 11138990
    Abstract: A headset that can detect the voice activity of a user includes an inner microphone generating an inner microphone signal; an outer microphone generating an outer microphone signal, wherein the inner microphone and outer microphone are positioned such that, when the headset is worn by a user, the inner microphone is disposed nearer to the user's head; and a voice-activity detector determining a sign of a phase difference between the inner microphone signal and the outer microphone signal and generating a voice activity detection signal representing a user's voice activity when the sign of the phase difference indicates that the outer microphone received an audio signal after the inner microphone received the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Dale McElhone
  • Patent number: 11115940
    Abstract: A method for obtaining a noise power and a terminal are provided. The obtaining method includes: obtaining a first power offset value of an actual automatic gain control (AGC) received power relative to a first predetermined received power within a predetermined transmission time interval (TTI); obtaining, according to a preset correspondence between a modulation mode and an AGC backoff value, a target AGC backoff value corresponding to a current modulation mode; and obtaining the noise power according to the first power offset value, the target AGC backoff value, and a current AGC received power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: DATANG MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Li Zhao, Rui Zhao, Ying Peng
  • Patent number: 11054481
    Abstract: Impedance testing devices, circuits, systems, and related methods are disclosed. A Device Under Test (DUT) is excited with a multispectral excitation signal for an excitation time period while the DUT is under a load condition from a load operably coupled to the DUT. A response of the DUT is sampled over a sample time period. The sample time period is configured such that it includes an in-band interval during the excitation time period and one or more out-of-band intervals outside of the in-band interval. A response of the DUT to the load condition during the in-band interval is estimated by analyzing samples of the response from the one or more out-of-band intervals. Adjusted samples are computed by subtracting the estimated load response during the in-band interval from the samples from the in-band interval. An impedance of the DUT is estimated by analyzing the adjusted samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: Jon P. Christophersen, John L. Morrison, William H. Morrison
  • Patent number: 10742185
    Abstract: A wireless receiver including a gain network that adjusts a gain of a received wireless signal and provides an RF signal, a level detector that provides a level indication while a strength of the RF signal is at least an RF level threshold, a timing system that provides a timing value indicative of a total amount of time that the level indication is provided during a timing window, a gain up disable circuit that provides a gain up disable signal when the timing value reaches a low threshold, a blocker strength detect circuit that provides a gain down request signal when the timing value reaches a high threshold, and an AGC circuit that does not increase the gain of the gain network while the gain up disable signal is provided, and that allows a reduction of the gain of the gain network while the gain down request signal is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Wentao Li, Guner Arslan, Yan Zhou
  • Patent number: 10708266
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating a client device fingerprint model and identifying client devices using the model. Identifying client devices includes monitoring traffic transmitted over a wireless network to an unknown first client device, the traffic using at least one value of at least one wireless network operational parameter; determining, for each at least one value of the at least one wireless network operational parameter, a respective probability of successful packet reception at the first client device; comparing each probability to a data model representing probabilities of successful packet reception at each of a plurality of known second client devices for each of a plurality of values of the wireless network operational parameter; and associating at least one of the labels of the second client devices with the first client device based on the compare.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Gaurav Patwardhan, Sachin Ganu, Jose Tellado
  • Patent number: 10687361
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing flexible time masks for transmission in a wireless communication system are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a node in a wireless communication system comprises providing, to a wireless device, an indication of a position of a transient period during a time mask, where the position of the transient period is adapted to a clear channel assessment period at the wireless device or the position of the transient period is such that the transient period occurs at least partially during a clear channel assessment period. The time mask defines an OFF period during which a transmitter of the wireless device is to be off, an ON period during which the transmitter of the wireless device is to be on, and the transient period. The transient period is a period during which the transmitter of the wireless device is to ramp-up or ramp-down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Christian Bergljung, Muhammad Kazmi, Imadur Rahman
  • Patent number: 10651970
    Abstract: A system and method for predictive adaptive coding and modulation (ACM) is disclosed. Predictive ACM is used between a transmitting terminal that is in motion and a stationary receiving terminal without a return link between the terminals where the geometry and link impairments are known in advance. A system and method for predictive ACM in a system including one or more relay terminals between the transmitting and receiving terminals, where the geometry and link impairments between all of the terminals are known in advance is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: James M. Hetrick, Erin Yvonne Elissa Stewart Meadows
  • Patent number: 10644736
    Abstract: An amplifier generate harmonic noise or nuisance signals when the amplifier enters into a nonlinear amplification event. The harmonic noise or nuisance signals are spurious and a tagging circuit may tag them as such so they bypass signal processing logic and provide the same to a downstream hardware device that skips the signals tagged as spurious. The system uses a spurious signal detector and a comparator to identify nonlinear amplification events containing harmonic noise below an amplitude threshold that indicates the harmonic noise or nuisance signals as spurious to the downstream hardware device. Typically, the system is incorporated into an electronic warfare system such that the downstream hardware device effectuates countermeasures for a manned or unmanned platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Randall M. Bohannan, Gregory S. Laste
  • Patent number: 10631170
    Abstract: Certain embodiments herein are directed to managing wireless spectrum, which may include recommending or transmitting spectrum usage changes to one or more wireless devices. A spectrum management system comprising one or more computers may receive spectrum usage information associated with one or more wireless devices. The spectrum management system may generate a spectrum usage map based on the received information. Based on the spectrum usage map, a spectrum usage change is determined and transmitted to one or more wireless devices. The wireless devices may change their operation in accordance with the spectrum usage change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Srikathyayani Srikanteswara, Carlos Cordeiro, Kerstin Johnsson, Anthony Lamarca, Jaideep Moses, Wen-Ling Huang, Christian Maciocco, Shilpa Talwar, Meiyuan Zhao, Jeffrey Foerster, Xue Yang
  • Patent number: 10555211
    Abstract: A wireless access point wirelessly serves User Equipment (UEs) with a wireless communication service using carrier aggregation and intermodulation interference mitigation. The wireless access point transfers user data to the UEs using carrier aggregation over a primary Long Term Evolution (LTE) band that transports LTE primary component carriers, secondary LTE bands that transport LTE secondary component carriers, and secondary Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR) bands that transport 5GNR secondary component carriers. The wireless access point measures intermodulation interference in the secondary 5GNR bands. The wireless access point terminates at least some of the LTE secondary component carriers in the secondary LTE bands when the intermodulation interference in the secondary 5GNR bands exceeds an interference threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Sreekar Marupaduga, Rajveen Narendran
  • Patent number: 10476612
    Abstract: A self-calibrating transceiver includes a baseband processor, a receiver chain comprising an amplifier and a digital front end (DFE), and a transmitter chain, and a calibration control state machine. The state machine stores amplifier gain steps and is in communication with the transmitter chain, the receiver chain, and the baseband processor. The state machine can set a receiver chain frequency at a predefined frequency and set a transmitter chain frequency to be offset relative to the receiver chain frequency. For each of the amplifier gain steps, the state machine can set a gain of the receiver chain and set a power of the transmitter chain. The baseband processor can measure an RSSI and transmit the measured RSSI to the state machine. The state machine can determine a digital gain compensation value based on the one or more measured RSSIs and apply the determined digital gain compensation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: SPREADTRUM COMMUNICATIONS USA INC.
    Inventors: David Haub, Lon Christensen, Zebin Wang
  • Patent number: 10419039
    Abstract: A front end module that performs a CA method includes a signal path through which a signal of a first frequency band propagates, a signal path through which a signal of a second frequency band propagates, a switch module that includes antenna terminals and selection terminals and is connected to antenna elements, and a balun that is disposed at the signal path. First and second balanced terminals of the balun are connected to the selection terminals, and the balun causes a fundamental wave or harmonic of a transmission signal of the first frequency band input through an unbalanced terminal to branch into branch signals having opposite phases and outputs the branch signals to the first balanced terminal and the second balanced terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kunitoshi Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 10382192
    Abstract: A system for dynamic calibration of a first radiofrequency chain to be calibrated comprises: an injection device for injecting a calibration signal whose waveform is predetermined, connected upstream of the radiofrequency chain to be calibrated, and a compensation device for compensating the amplitude-wise and phase-wise disparities caused by the first chain to be calibrated including a controlled compensation filter. The automatic calibration system comprises a device for temporal erasure of the calibration signal injected with the aid of an analog or digital subtracter, the subtracter being connected downstream of the first radiofrequency chain to be calibrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Yann Nicolas Pierre Oster, Aubin Michel Lecointre
  • Patent number: 10381991
    Abstract: A receiver front end having low noise amplifiers (LNAs) is disclosed herein. A cascode having a “common source” configured input FET and a “common gate” configured output FET can be turned on or off using the gate of the output FET. A first switch is provided that allows a connection to be either established or broken between the source terminal of the input FET of each LNA. A drain switch is provided between the drain terminals of input FETs to place the input FETs in parallel. This increases the gm of the input stage of the amplifier, thus improving the noise figure of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Miles Sanner, Emre Ayranci
  • Patent number: 10264030
    Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein include, while a microphone of a first networked microphone device is enabled, determining whether a first reference device is in a specific state, and in response to determining that the first reference device is in the specific state, disabling the microphone of the first networked microphone device. Some embodiments further include, while the microphone of the first networked microphone device is enabled, receiving a command to disable the microphone of the first networked microphone device via one of the microphone of the networked microphone device or a network interface of the networked microphone device, and in response to receiving the command to disable the microphone of the networked microphone device via one of the microphone of the networked microphone device or the network interface of the networked microphone device, disabling the microphone of the networked microphone device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Mieko Kusano, Dayn Wilberding, Jonathan Wenocur, Jonathan Lang
  • Patent number: 10211863
    Abstract: Anti-jamming techniques are provided for RF receivers, such as those that operate in hostile environments. In some embodiments, the techniques are embodied in an anti-jam communications system configured with automatic gain control (AGC) that is complementary. The system includes a first AGC circuit prior to an interference suppression circuit and a second AGC circuit after the interference suppression circuit. The first AGC circuit operates to adjust the power level presented to the interference suppression circuit to facilitate interference cancellation. The second AGC circuit operates to maintain the original power level of the desired communications signal and prevent amplitude errors as the first AGC circuit responds to fluctuations in jammer signal power. The second AGC can be slaved to the first AGC circuit such that the sum of two gain values is held constant, according to some embodiments. In this manner, the first and second AGC circuits provide a complementary-AGC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Curtis M. Grens
  • Patent number: 10142586
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a back-end circuit for processing an analog video signal and direct current power, a front-end circuit for processing an analog video signal and direct current power and a Power Over Coaxia (POC) circuit for an analog video signal. Each of the back-end processing circuit and the front-end processing circuit includes an analog video signal passing circuit configured to block the direct current power and let the analog video signal pass and a direct current power passing circuit configured to block the analog video signal and let the direct current power pass, so that the analog video signal may be isolated from the direct current power and the analog video signal may be superimposed to the direct current power without mutual influence and exclusion to realize a function of superimposing the direct current power on an analog high-definition video cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: HANGZHOU HIKVISION DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min Ye, Liang Zhang, Mingling Luo
  • Patent number: 10103825
    Abstract: A self-calibrating transceiver includes a baseband processor, a receiver chain comprising an amplifier and a digital front end (DFE), and a transmitter chain, and a calibration control state machine. The state machine stores amplifier gain steps and is in communication with the transmitter chain, the receiver chain, and the baseband processor. The state machine can set a receiver chain frequency at a predefined frequency and set a transmitter chain frequency to be offset relative to the receiver chain frequency. For each of the amplifier gain steps, the state machine can set a gain of the receiver chain and set a power of the transmitter chain. The baseband processor can measure an RSSI and transmit the measured RSSI to the state machine. The state machine can determine a digital gain compensation value based on the one or more measured RSSIs and apply the determined digital gain compensation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: SPREADTRUM COMMUNICATIONS USA INC.
    Inventors: David Haub, Lon Christensen, Zebin Wang
  • Patent number: 10079647
    Abstract: A receiver system includes an automatic gain control (AGC) module configured to control a first gain control signal to a first gain element having variable gain control. The receiver system also includes a DC (direct current) offset correction block coupled to the AGC module, the DC offset correction block configured to trigger the AGC module to output a set of calibration gain control signals to the first gain element and capture a set of DC offset measurements of a first signal received at the DC offset correction block, where the first signal is passed by the first gain element. The DC offset correction block is further configured to estimate one or more DC offset components using the set of DC offset measurements, and calculate a first correction control signal corresponding to a first gain level of the first gain element using the one or more DC offset components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Khurram Waheed
  • Patent number: 9853613
    Abstract: Provided herein are apparatus and methods for protecting radio frequency (RF) amplifiers from overdrive. In certain configurations, an RF amplification system includes a plurality of RF amplification stages including a first amplification stage and a second amplification stage subsequent to the first amplification stage in a signal path. The first amplification stage includes a first stage field-effect transistor (FET), and the second amplification stage includes a second stage FET and a gate-to-drain feedback circuit electrically connected between a gate and a drain of the second stage FET. The RF amplification system further includes an overdrive detection circuit that senses a drain current of the first stage FET to detect when an overdrive condition is present, and that decreases an impedance of the gate-to-drain feedback circuit in response to detection of the overdrive condition such that a gain of the second stage FET is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Anthony Francis Quaglietta
  • Patent number: 9755867
    Abstract: A system for controlling a plurality of electronic components arbitrarily assignable to a plurality of integrated circuits of a mobile communications device is provided. The integrated circuits are capable of processing a radio frequency signal. The system includes a control module configured to allocate a subset of the plurality of electronic components constituting at least one signal path between an integrated circuit of the plurality of integrated circuits and an antenna element of the mobile communications device. The control module is further configured to assign the at least one signal path to the integrated circuit, and to transfer control of at least a part of the subset of the plurality of electronic components constituting the at least one signal path to the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Intel IP Corporation
    Inventor: Steffen Reinhardt
  • Patent number: 9742572
    Abstract: Embodiments include systems and methods for scaling power level of an upstream signal by a device processor of a head-end device in a communication network. In embodiments, the device processor may determine a power level of the signal received at the head-end device from a client device. The device processor may determine a difference between the power level of the received signal and a target power level of an analog-to-digital converter of the head-end device, and may adjust the power level of the received signal at the head-end device based on the determined difference. In embodiments, the device processor may determine a power level of an upstream signal to be received by the head-end device, may determine a difference between the power level of the received signal and the target power level, and may adjust the power level of a received signal at the head-end device based on the determined difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
    Inventors: Paul D. Brooks, Peter Wolff
  • Patent number: 9736790
    Abstract: A self-calibrating transceiver includes a transmitter chain, a receiver chain, a base band processor, and a calibration control state machine. The state machine is in electrical communication with the transmitter chain, the receiver chain, and the base band processor, and is configured for enabling the receiver chain and setting the receiver chain and the transmitter chain to corresponding frequencies. The state machine stores one or more transmitter power and power amplifier gain mode settings, and for each setting, sets the transmitter gain and power amplifier gain mode. The transmitter chain transmits a signal, the receiver chain receives the transmitted signal, and the baseband processor measures a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the received signal. The state machine further adjusts the transmitter output power based on the measured RSSI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Spreadtrum Communications USA, Inc.
    Inventors: David Haub, Lon Christensen, Zebin Wang
  • Patent number: 9654159
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems for and methods of using a mirrored wideband baseband current for automatic gain control of an RF receiver. In an embodiment, a system includes an RF receiver having an adjustable gain and being configured to direct convert a received wideband RF signal to a wideband baseband current signal. The system further includes a current replicator coupled to the receiver and configured to generate a mirrored current of the wideband baseband current signal. The system further includes a wideband signal-level detector configured to receive the mirrored current from the current replicator, and to measure and output a signal-level value of the mirrored current. The system further includes an automatic gain-control circuit configured to receive the signal-level value from the wideband signal-level detector, and to adjust the gain of the receiver based at least in part on the received signal-level value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Raul Salvi, Joseph P Heck, Geetha B Nagaraj, Shafiullah Syed
  • Patent number: 9608743
    Abstract: A method (300) for determining inter-modulation distortions products of a mixing stage includes: driving (301) a signal input of the mixing stage based on an input signal, wherein an amplitude of the input signal is switched between a first level and a second level, and wherein a frequency of switching the amplitude is smaller than a frequency of the input signal; detecting (302) at a signal output of the mixing stage a first output signal responsive to the driving of the signal input with the input signal, wherein the amplitude of the input signal is switched to the first level, and a second output signal responsive to the driving of the signal input with the input signal, wherein the amplitude of the input signal is switched to the second level; and determining (303) the inter-modulation distortions based on the first output signal and the second output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Intel IP Corporation
    Inventor: Grigory Itkin
  • Patent number: 9595926
    Abstract: Provided herein are apparatus and methods for overdrive protection of radio frequency (RF) amplifiers. In certain configurations, an RF amplifier includes a plurality of amplification stages and an overdrive detection circuit. The overdrive detection circuit determines whether or not the RF amplifier is in an overdrive condition based on a current of an input amplification stage. Additionally, when the overdrive detection circuit detects an overdrive condition, the overdrive detection circuit controls an impedance of one or more feedback circuits of one or more amplification stages subsequent to the input amplification stage in a signal path of the RF amplifier to reduce the RF amplifier's gain. The overdrive protection schemes herein can be used to limit large current and voltage swing conditions manifesting within amplification transistors of the RF amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Anthony Francis Quaglietta
  • Patent number: 9582018
    Abstract: An analog front-end (AFE) circuit has at least one AFE stage to generate a conditioned analog signal, and a gain control block to set a gain of the AFE stages. A finite state machine (FSM) block sets the gain to a baseline set gain without gain compression, or a current set gain with gain compression. An amplitude block determines amplitudes of the inner and outer eyes of a signal eye of the conditioned analog signal at the baseline set gain and the current set gain. A compression calculation block determines a gain compression of the conditioned analog signal at the current signal gain based on the relative changes in the respective amplitudes of the inner and outer signal eyes between the baseline and current set gains. The FSM block increases the current set gain until the gain compression ratio reaches a predefined limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: MAXLINEAR ASIA SINGAPORE PTE LTD.
    Inventors: Nanyan Wang, Timothy Lupick
  • Patent number: 9509290
    Abstract: A frequency converter, comprising a multi-phase local oscillator and a multi-phase mixer. The mixer comprises a plurality of mixer switches, each connected to a respective amplifier. The local oscillator is configured to provide a switching signal to each mixer switch, and comprises a plurality of inverters configured as a ring oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Jan van Sinderen, Salvatore Drago
  • Patent number: 9490876
    Abstract: An electronic device with wireless communication capability including at least one antenna, a detection module, and a setting module. The detection module detects an amount of a current returning from the at least one antenna. The setting module sets at least one user interface corresponding to the detected amount of the current, and when the detected amount of current is below a threshold, abnormal operation is indicated. The amount of current returning can be affected by devices sufficiently close to interfere with the transmissive capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong-Suk Choi
  • Patent number: 9331862
    Abstract: A method for determining proximity of a mobile device to an appliance and for operating the appliance and the mobile device is provided. The method includes identifying the mobile device and/or the appliance with a Media Access Control or MAC header and establishing a proximity of the mobile device to the appliance based at least in part on a Received Signal Strength Indicator or RSSI. A service of the appliance can be executed if the RSSI is greater than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dong Hun Lee, Dong Soo Shin, Jun Sik Hwang, Kihwan Park
  • Patent number: 9319017
    Abstract: An integrated circuit for controlling a gain of an LNA to be applied to (i) a first signal from a first communication device, and (ii) a second signal from a second communication device, wherein (i) the first signal conforms to a first communication protocol, and (ii) the second signal conforms to a second communication protocol, includes LNA gain adaptation hardware. The LNA gain adaptation hardware is configured to determine a first signal strength indicator corresponding to a signal strength of the first signal, determine a second signal strength indicator corresponding to a signal strength of the second signal, and control the gain of the LNA based on at least (i) the first signal strength indicator and (ii) the second signal strength indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: MARVELL INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: Sameer Bidichandani, Ronak Anjan Chokshi
  • Patent number: 9312891
    Abstract: A matrix for use with a radio transceiver having at least two signal sources is provided. The matrix comprises for each selected set of two or more signal sources, a list of combinations of harmonics of the signal sources, the combinations of harmonics each having a predicted amplitude greater than a predetermined threshold, and a frequency within a defined range related to a frequency range of one of the signal sources. Further, methods for generating such matrix and methods for avoiding spurs are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: ST-ERICSSON SA
    Inventor: Raihan Rafique
  • Patent number: 9276798
    Abstract: A digital calibration circuit is used to provide joint-elimination of transmitter and receiver I/Q imbalances. Digital I and Q quadrature signals are received and converted to analog I and Q quadrature signals on I and Q for transmission on output channels. An output mixer is used to convert the quadrature signals to an unbalanced RF output. An unbalanced RF signal is received selectively either externally or from the RF output using a source follower, and the received signal is mixed to provide analog I and Q quadrature signals, using a local oscillator (LO). The LO adds an additional 90 ° phase shift between I and Q quadrature channels of the unbalanced RF input. Parameter estimating the transmitted digital I and Q quadrature signals and providing estimations of I and Q quadrature imbalance conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF MACAU
    Inventors: Wei-Han Yu, Chak-Fong Cheang, Ka-Fai Un, Pui-In Mak, Rui P. Martins
  • Patent number: 9264280
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a receiver system having a first set of amplifiers, a second set of amplifiers, and an automatic gain control (AGC) module to receive first high and low detection signals from a first peak detector, and receive second high and low detection signals from a second peak detector. When the first high detection signal is set, a step decrease in at least one of a first gain control signal and a second gain control signal is taken. When the first high detection signal is not set and the second high detection signal is set, a second step decrease in at least one of the first gain control signal and the second gain control signal is taken. The first gain control signal is used in the first set of amplifiers. The second gain control signal is used in the second set of amplifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Khurram Waheed, Steven M. Bosze
  • Patent number: 9246211
    Abstract: A portable electronic device and method for tuning an antenna is provided. The portable electronic device includes an antenna, a tunable element, a first input unit, at least one additional input unit, and a processor. The method involves receiving a first set of data, determining a plurality of possible physical states, activating a second input unit, receiving a second set of data from the second input unit, selecting a physical state of the portable electronic device from the plurality of possible physical states, and tuning the antenna based on the physical state of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Mahinthan Veluppillai, Riyaz Shamshudin Jamal, Nagula Tharma Sangary
  • Patent number: 9240847
    Abstract: A method is provided for suppressing interferences in a sampling process. The method includes the method step of sampling an analog useful signal at a sampling frequency f as well as determining whether an interference amplitude is present. In the presence of an interference amplitude, a stochastic shift of the chronologically equidistant sampling points in time, which are determined by the sampling frequency f, is carried out within a range [??t; +?t] (21) around the equidistant sampling points in time, ?t being the maximum shift. Subsequently, a resampling of the analog useful signal is carried out. It is redetermined whether an interference amplitude is present. In the case of the continuous presence of an interference amplitude, a change in the absolute value of the maximum shift |?t| is carried out and the process is restarted with the method step of stochastically shifting the sampling points in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Wuchert, Matthias Kalisch
  • Patent number: 9197265
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a receiving device and method for removing a mismatch in a wireless communication system, and to a low noise amplifier (LNA) therefor. According to the present invention, the receiving method for removing the mismatch comprises the steps of: distinguishing the type of input signal received through a wireless network; controlling such that a common bias is applied to transistors within a low noise amplifier, if said input signal is a wideband signal; and outputting a signal from which said mismatch has been removed, by using a current mirror mode in which current paths within said low noise amplifier are crossed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Korea Aerospace University
    Inventors: Hee-Hyun Lee, Young-Jin Kim, Young-Min Ki
  • Patent number: 9184731
    Abstract: A method and circuit for significantly reducing positive switching transients (glitches) of digital step attenuators (DSA's) by controlling the timing of state transitions for individual attenuator stages within a DSA. Such control prevents the DSA output power from peaking during attenuation state transitions and ensures that any transient glitch during the transition results in reduced power at the DSA output. Attenuation stage timing delay can be implemented on an integrated circuit die or “chip” for monolithic implementations of a DSA by adding circuitry which ensures that any attenuation state changes result in increased attenuation rather than decreased attenuation, thereby reducing or eliminating positive transient glitches at the DSA output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Fleming Lam
  • Patent number: 9167563
    Abstract: Methods and devices are described for managing the use of system resources in a wireless network. In one aspect, a method is performed by a wireless network system associated with a wireless network. The method provides upstream communications from an electronic device to the wireless network. The method includes: identifying a set of carriers that may be used together without causing an intermodulation product that falls within one or more active pass-bands associated with a receiver of the electronic device; and scheduling a carrier aggregated upstream communication from the electronic device to the wireless network using the identified set of carriers, the carrier aggregated upstream communication being an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS INC.
    Inventors: George Maynard Hart, Tak Wing Wan
  • Patent number: 9124315
    Abstract: Compression of an input signal prior to high power radio frequency (RF) amplification and transmission is disclosed. A compression device can receive an input signal and generate a compressed signal that can be passed to an amplification stage to reduce intermodulation effects. The compression device can further generate compression information that can be transmitted to enable a mobile device receiving an amplified version of the compressed signal and the compression information to decompress the amplified version of the compressed signal. Further, a mobile device that can receive an amplified compressed signal and compression information, such that the mobile device can decompress the amplified compressed signal, is also disclosed. The disclosed subject matter can enable use of lower cost, smaller, and less complex RF amplifiers within a wireless network environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
    Inventor: Sheldon Kent Meredith