Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Ford Motor Company Limited

Visteon Corporation

Yao H Kuo

John F Kennedy

J William Whikehart

Sylvester P Porambo

Robert Donald Plowdrey

Edmund Joe Tillo

Milan Cvetkovic

Thomas Wharam

Howard Graeme Roberts

Christopher John Barranger

Christopher Stanley Nicholas

A method and system for providing radio frequency auto gain control (RF AGC) for a specific frequency is provided herein. The method includes obtaining a noise measurement (N) and radio frequency level for the specific frequency; scanning a band of frequencies that the specific frequency is part of, and storing a plurality of undesired frequencies; computing a frequency intermodulation up to a predetermined level based on the plurality of undesired frequencies; and in response to the frequency intermodulation being not equal to the specific frequency, performing an iterative process to readjust the RF AGC, the iterative process including a readjustment of the RF AGC based on a noise floor performance.

Providing for radio frequency auto gain control (RF AGC)

A computer-implemented method for reducing a noise signal added to an amplitude modulated (AM) broadcast signal while travelling from a broadcasting antenna to a receiving antenna is provided. The method includes capturing a signal representative of the AM broadcast signal corrupted by the noise signal via the receiving antenna, inverting the captured signal, and determining a carrying frequency of the AM broadcast signal and delaying the inverted waveform by a fraction of a cycle of the carrying frequency. The method further includes generating a difference signal by subtractively combining the captured signal and the delayed inverted signal, generating an estimate noise signal by reducing an amplitude of the generated difference signal using a noise-reduction control multiplier, and minimizing the corrupting noise signal component of the captured signal by subtractively combining the captured signal and the generated estimate noise signal.

Method and system for reducing amplitude modulation (AM) noise in AM broadcast signals

Systems, apparatuses and methods for providing FM phase diversity capabilities are provide. In some aspects, a vehicle system includes a first FM antenna positioned externally of a vehicle and adapted to receive a first FM signal, a radio unit positioned internally of the vehicle and including a display and at least one user control, a cable electrically coupled to the first FM antenna and the radio unit to communicate the first FM signal to the radio unit, and a second FM antenna positioned internally of the vehicle and adapted to receive a second FM signal that is communicated to the radio unit. In another aspect, a radio unit positioned internally of the vehicle may include a printed wire board and a second FM antenna may be positioned on the printed wire board internally of the vehicle and adapted to receive a second FM signal.

Single external antenna for FM phase diversity for a vehicle radio unit

A modular charging unit that allows efficient charging of a rechargeable battery with a charging station and during use away from the charging system uses ambient energy to extend battery life of the device.

Photovoltaic charging system

An integrated circuit with a non-crystal reference clock includes: an oscillator adapted to generate and transmit an oscillator output signal, wherein the oscillator includes at least one of an inductor, a resistor, and a capacitor; a comparator adapted to receive the oscillator output signal and a calibration input signal, compare the oscillator output signal characteristics and the calibration input signal characteristics, and generate and transmit a first comparator signal in response to the comparison of the oscillator output signal and the calibration input signal; a state machine adapted to receive the first comparator signal, analyze the first comparator signal and calibrate the oscillator in response to the analysis of the first comparator signal; and a controller adapted to the receive the oscillator output signal, wherein a frequency of the oscillator output signal is utilized by the controller as a clock frequency.

Integrated circuit with non-crystal oscillator reference clock

A system for generating a tuning voltage including a processor, a tank circuit, and a feedback loop. The processor creates a tuning voltage that is provided to the tank circuit. A feedback loop optimizes tuning performance by adjusting the tuning voltage based on radio signal strength.

System for creating a programmable tuning voltage

A system () and method () for digitizing a complete band of RF channels to allow simultaneous processing of more than one channel. Multiple tunable bandpass filters () are used for the particular channels to be processed. The filter outputs are combined () to form one signal for digitization (). In another embodiment, an undesired signal is rejected () to provide more available power for a reception of a desired signal.

Method and system for multi-channel RF digitization with analog selectivity

An oscillator circuit having an expanded operating range includes an amplifier portion amplifying an oscillating signal. A gain controlling portion controls the gain of the amplified oscillating signal. A switching circuit electrically connected across the gain controlling portion provides a low impedance electrical path in parallel with the gain controlling portion in response to a switch input signal. The switching circuit further includes a switch signal generator portion producing the switch input signal to switch the switching circuit ON or OFF when power supplied to the oscillator circuit reaches a first predetermined voltage level and to switch the switching circuit OFF or ON when power supplied to the oscillator circuit reaches a second predetermined voltage level. In this circuit design, the initiation of an oscillating signal by the oscillator circuit is unaffected by supply voltage variation or, in other words, fluctuation in the power supplied to the oscillator circuit.

Oscillator circuit having an expanded operating range

An output stage of a double balanced mixer having a first intermediate port and a second intermediate port includes an operational amplifier, an impedance and first and second current source devices. The operational amplifier has a first input port, a second input port and an IF output port, and the impedance is coupled between the first input port and the second input port. The first current source device has a first terminal coupled to both the first input port and the first intermediate port, which are coupled to one another. The second current source device has a second terminal coupled to both the second input port and the second intermediate port, which are coupled to one another.

Mixer circuit with output stage for implementation on integrated circuit

A space diversity, multiple-tuner radio receiver obtains substantially noise free reception under most signal conditions. The tuner outputs are mixed in proportion with the signal quality as determined by detecting noise in each tuner output signal. Long-time-delay multipath distortion, adjacent channel interference, and co-channel interference are reduced by selecting predetermined antenna pattern combinations in response to high noise levels being present from both tuners.

Proportional diversity radio receiver system with dynamic

An improved tuner for a varactor-tuned local oscillator in a radio receiver includes a winding of a pair of magnetically coupled inductors, preferably constructed in the form of a transformer. Preferably, the first and second windings are magnetically coupled with reduced inter-winding capacitance by axially separating the windings on a common core. The second winding is selectively coupled by a switch to a capacitive load in order to change the inductance of the first winding. The tuning range of the resonant circuit formed by the varactor diode set and the first winding is changed when the capacitive load is coupled. The magnetic coupling between the transformer windings provides DC isolation between the oscillator and the switching circuit. Preferably, a tuning actuator has overlapping ranges of movement for selection of a signal within both the AM and FM frequency bands as the intermediate frequencies for the local oscillator are generated.

Converting capacitance to inductance in a floating resonant

The reception quality of an AM broadcast signal is determined within a very short time of tuning to the channel frequency by modifying the intermediate frequency signal to remove the audio information modulated on the carrier but including residual noise and higher frequencies. The modified IF signal is used to regenerate a pure sine-wave carrier as a replica of the original carrier wave at the transmitter. This pure carrier is compared to the modified IF signal to identify degradation during transmission.

High-quality reception indicating circuit for scanning AM recievers

A radio receiver simultaneously achieves maximum sensitivity and minimum susceptibility to intermodulation distortion by employing wideband and narrowband automatic gain control which further selects the automatic gain control response in dependence on the detection of intermodulation distortion. An AGC signal is modified to improve sensitivity in the event of a low narrowband signal level except when intermodulation distortion is detected above a predetermined distortion level.

Automatic gain control for RF amplifier

The radio receiver of the present invention detects the presence of adjacent channel interference in either the lower adjacent channel or the upper adjacent channel and shifts the received signals to remove the adjacent channel interference from the intermediate frequency passband, but only if the other adjacent channel is clear. A maximum amount of the desired signal is retained so that modulation distortion is low. Frequency limits for shifting of the desired signals prevent undesirable amounts of phase distortion from being introduced into the audio signal.

Adjacent channel controller for radio receiver

The radio receiver of the present invention detects the presence of intermodulation distortion interference above an objectionable level and shifts a tunable RF passband in a manner to reduce or eliminate the intermodulation distortion interference without reducing the level of the desired signal to below a predetermined level. Intermodulation is detected based on a comparison of signal strength in upper and lower adjacent passbands which have substantially equal levels if intermodulation is present.

Growing community of inventors

West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Yao H Kuo