Zenith Electronics Corporation

Motorola Corporation

Michael S Cruz

Harmon P Vaughter

Richard Ng

Scott David Beutler

Frank Robert Skutta

Shakil H Barkat

A unique apparatus for coupling radio frequency (RF) signals from a wireless communication device (200) to an external device by way of an I/O port (116). In particular, a connector having three adjacent contact elements (238) couples signals to an external device wherein the first and third contact elements (239, 241) are electrically coupled to a ground plane (302) and wherein the second or middle contact element (240) is electrically coupled to a conductive RF signal path (344). The ground plane and the conductive path (334) are preferably on a printed circuit (pc) board which is preferably a three layer board with the conductive path (334) located between two ground planes (302, 352). The connector is substantially covered with a shield (230) coupled by legs (248) to the ground plane (302) at apertures (332). A mating connector (400) also includes a shield (430) which is commonly grounded. The mating connector preferably includes an internally located coaxial connector (412) and cable (414) to minimize loss of RF communication signals. Components of the connectors (116, 400) are selectively grounded to eliminate RF interference and establish a reliable RF ground reference to a pc board (300) of the wireless communication device and the coaxial connector. The connectors also include latching members (405) and apertures (250) for firm coupling therebetween.

Apparatus for coupling RF signals

A portable cellular radiotelephone (100), which is powered by main and auxiliary batteries (101, 102) in an operating state. The main and auxiliary batteries (101, 102) include respective memories (402, 410) for storing a 64- bit registration number and 1024 bits of data for identifying the type and brand of such batteries. Memories (402, 410) store a laser-engraved 64-bit registration number and 1024 bits of data. In order to uniquely identify the batteries (101, 102), the 64-bit registration number includes a twelve-bit brand code having a predetermined brand code value and an eight-bit type code having a predetermined type code value, and the 1024 bits of data include a unique multi-character message. By identifying the unique brand code, type code and multi-character message when a battery is inserted into portable device (100), it can be insured that the portable device (100) will be operated with a reliable and safe battery. Otherwise, the portable device is turned off and the battery is not charged.

Apparatus and method for identifying the type and brand of a battery for

A tunable/switchable notch filter adapted for use in the front end of a television receiver removes an image frequency on the low side of the UHF passband without degrading desired frequencies. The tunable/switchable notch filter can be switched out when in a VHF mode so as not to degrade VHF performance and switched in for UHF operation for filtering out a difference image frequency which varies with and is a predetermined frequency less than the desired UHF signal.

Tunable UHF filter for switchable VHF/UHF receiver

A UHF oscillator circuit includes a plurality of first leadless, or 'chip', surface mounted components machine positioned on a first side of a printed circuit (PC) board and a plurality of second lead-bearing components mounted on a second side of the PC board and coupled in circuit through the PC board to the chip components in an arrangement which substantially reduces circuit fabrication costs. Comprised of a majority of automatically positioned surface mounted chip components and making use of a minimum number of lead mounted discrete components, the low Q values of the surface mounted components are compensated for by an external surface mounted feedback capacitor coupled across the collector-emitter junction of a common base transistor to provide oscillator tuning over a frequency range greater than an octave.

Surface mounted component UHF oscillator

A tunable notch filter for the front end of an RF receiver includes magnetically coupled input and output tunable stages each responsive to a tuning voltage provided thereto. Each of the input and output stages includes a respective series and parallel resonant circuit wherein the parallel resonant circuits are tuned to a selected RF frequency and the series resonant circuits are tuned to a frequency approximately equal to that of a local oscillator. By using the series resonant circuits to create a notch at a frequency approximating that of the local oscillator, conducted local oscillator leakage from the receiver's antenna is substantially reduced and local oscillator image frequency rejection is substantially improved.

Growing community of inventors

Buffalo Grove, IL, United States of America

Michael S Cruz