Sierra Wireless, Inc.

Bruce Michael Miller

Ping Liu

Trent Owen McKeen

Golnaz Sanaie-fard

Robert M Lukas

Rachel Wong

The system includes a modem unit with a standardized form factor and standardized connector. The modem unit can be connected to a phone shell personal digital assistant and for other data units. Connected to the phone shell, the modem unit transmits voice data. Connected to the personal digital assistant or other data device, the modem unit transfers data. By having a modem unit that can usable both for voice and data, a single cellular transceiver can be used for both voice and data without requiring a wired connector. Additionally the standardized form factor and connector allows a second modem unit, having a second type of cellular connection, to be used in place of the first modem unit. The other type of cellular connection can be a different communication standard.

Modular data device

Method and apparatus for preventing current overdraw by a wireless modem sinking current from a host power supply of a host device (e.g. laptop computer or personal digital assistant (PDA)). The methods and apparatuses are applicable, but not limited to Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) wireless modems and Global System for Mobile Communications/General Packet Radio Service (GSM/GPRS) wireless networks.

Adaptive current limiter for wireless modem

Methods of and apparatuses for varying and controlling the effective series resistance (ESR) of a power supply rail configured to transmit power from a power supply of a host device to a wireless network interface device (e.g. a wireless modem). Varying and controlling the ESR of the power supply rail, relative to an ESR of a super capacitor coupled to the power supply rail, allows control of the currents drawn from the host power supply and a super capacitor. During a time when the wireless network interface device is transmitting or is about to transmit, the ESR of the power supply rail is increased so that it exceeds the ESR of the super capacitor, thereby causing current for the power amplifier (PA) of the wireless network interface device to be drawn primarily from the super capacitor, rather than from the host power supply. During a time when the wireless network interface device has completed transmitting or is about to complete transmitting, the ESR of the host power supply is lowered so that it is less than the ESR of the super capacitor, thereby causing the super capacitor to enter a charging state.

Peak current control in wireless network interface devices

A PCMCIA modem card uses a switch to output an analog baseband radio signal across a PCMCIA connector pin normally used to output a conventional digital signal. In this way, the analog signal can be accessed to test the radio receiver of the PCMCIA modem card.

Analog test output switchably connected to PCMCIA connector pin

A hand-held, PCMCIA cellular radio modem card is described which uses a non-standard power output level. The non-standard power output is defined as the maximum RF power attainable such that the current drawn by the power amplifier does not exceed 400 mA. This definition permits the use of the wireless modem inside hand-held computing devices without the use of an additional battery pack extension.

PC radio card capable of operating at a nonstandard power output level by limiting the current being drawn from a power amplifier

A power management system for a PC card is disclosed. The power management system allows for a detachable battery pack to be used on a PC card. The PC card can select power from the personal computer or from the detachable battery pack. In one embodiment, power can also be selected from a DC wall adaptor, which can be connected to the PC card or battery pack. In another embodiment, the power controller on the PC card is always powered by the personal computer, so that the power management system can work even when a detachable battery pack is low in power or not connected to the PC card. The battery pack can be recharged from the DC wall adaptor or from the personal computer.

Growing community of inventors

Coquitlam, Canada

Bruce Michael Miller