Max W Muterspaugh

6434374, Aug 13, 2002

Mar 29, 1996

08/624302

Max Ward Muterspaugh - Indianapolis IN

Thomson Licensing S.A. - Boulogne

H04B 106

4552341, 455 302, 455131

A down converter, such as a low noise block (LNB) converter, of the outdoor unit of a terrestrial microwave or satellite receiving system includes apparatus for automatically controlling the conversion gain of the down converter. In one embodiment the automatic gain control apparatus, including a gain controllable RF stage and a gain control signal generator for generating a gain control signal in response to the output signal of the down converter, are both included within the outdoor unit. In another embodiment, the gain controllable RF stage is included in the outdoor unit, but the gain control signal generator is included in the indoor unit of the receiving system and the gain control signal is coupled to the outdoor unit in direct or in encoded form. In the latter case, the encoded gain control signal can be coupled to the down converter via the coaxial cable connected between the outdoor and indoor units. In a receiving system which processes digitally encoded information, the error rate of the information which is decoded in the indoor unit can be utilized to generate the gain control signal for the gain controllable stage of the outdoor unit.

6466178, Oct 15, 2002

Aug 31, 2000

09/653603

Max Ward Muterspaugh - Indianapolis IN

Thomson Licensing S.A. - Boulogne

H01Q 928

343795, 343749, 343803

A broadband folded dipole antenna has a pair of load resistors in the vicinity of the edges of the antenna element for obtaining a unidirectional beam pattern.

7199562, Apr 3, 2007

Apr 2, 2003

10/509943

Max Ward Muterspaugh - Indianapolis IN, US

Thomson Licensing - Boulogne, Billancourt

G05F 1/10
H02M 5/42

323235, 363 86

In a switch mode power supply, a mains supply voltage source is coupled to a rectifier for producing an input supply voltage. The rectified input supply voltage is coupled unfiltered to an input of the SMPS. A switching power transistor having a controllable duty cycle is controlled by a duty cycle modulated signal for producing a regulated output supply voltage from the rectified input supply voltage. The periodic waveform of the mains supply voltage is used to establish the timings of the duty cycle modulated signal. In each cycle, current flow is initiated in the transistor, when the transistor is already fully turned on and a voltage developed between its main current conducting terminals is low or close to zero volts. When the output supply voltage attains the required level the transistor is turned off. Hysteresis is provided for preventing the transistor from turning on again in the same cycle, after it has been turned off.

7215939, May 8, 2007

Aug 2, 2001

10/484899

Max Ward Muterspaugh - Indianapolis IN, US

Thomson Licensing - Boulogne-Billancourt

H04B 1/10
H04B 1/04
H04B 1/16

455296, 4551142, 455340, 375285, 375332

Improved signal reception is provided in a digital television signal received by identifying and mitigating multipath signal effects prior to demodulation and equalization. According to an exemplary embodiment, a digital television signal is received having multipath signal effects which cause a plurality of ripples in the received signal. The amplitude of at least one of the ripples and the frequency separation between at least two of the ripples are detected. At least one of an antenna and a tuner is controlled in dependence upon the detection. Signal demodulation and equalization operations may be performed after at least one of the antenna and the tuner is controlled.

7383018, Jun 3, 2008

Feb 26, 2002

10/084774

Paul Gothard Knutson - Lawrenceville NJ, US
Kumar Ramaswamy - Plainsboro NJ, US
Max Ward Muterspaugh - Indianapolis IN, US

Thomas Licensing - Boulogne Billancourt

H04H 1/00

455 302, 455207

A satellite television ground system, particularly for a make or break satellite television signal system, includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit that are in communication with each other via a single coaxial cable and an optional separate single conductor for power. The satellite television ground system is operative to measure and reverse frequency conversion errors utilizing DSP techniques, allowing for more precise generation and transmission of uplink signals from the satellite television ground system. Control data for the system is sent via a low data rate connection on a power cable thereof, or by a narrowband signaling channel via a coax cable. The system also utilizes a single reference oscillator to drive the various frequency synthesizers and the like. The satellite television ground system utilizes related oscillators for the uplink and downlink sections. Carrier frequency offset in the downlink is measured in a carrier tracking loop part of a television signal demodulator.

7401349, Jul 15, 2008

Feb 26, 2002

10/083865

Paul Gothard Knutson - Lawrenceville NJ, US
Kumar Ramaswamy - Plainsboro NJ, US
Max Ward Muterspaugh - Indianapolis IN, US

Thomson Licensing - Boulogne-Billancourt

H04N 7/20
H04H 20/74
H04H 20/71

725 64, 725 63, 725 65, 455 302, 455 305

A satellite television ground system, particularly for a make or break satellite television signal system, includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit that are in communication with each other via a single coaxial cable and an optional separate single conductor for power. The satellite television ground system is operative to measure and reverse frequency conversion errors utilizing DSP techniques, allowing for more precise generation and transmission of uplink signals from the satellite television ground system. Control data for the system is sent via a low data rate connection on a power cable thereof, or by a narrowband signaling channel via a coax cable. The system also utilizes a single reference oscillator to drive the various frequency synthesizers and the like. The satellite television ground system utilizes related oscillators for the uplink and downlink sections.

7508459, Mar 24, 2009

Aug 6, 2003

10/523484

Matthew Thomas Mayer - Indianapolis IN, US
Michael Anthony Pugel - Noblesville IN, US
Max Ward Muterspaugh - Indianapolis IN, US

Thomson Licensing - Boulogne-Billancourt

H04N 5/50
H04N 5/44

348731, 348725, 348554

A technique for performing channel detection in a device such as a television signal receiver is capable of quickly determining the analog and/or digital broadcast channels available in a given area. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for performing channel detection includes tuning a first frequency channel, determining whether a signal parameter associated with the first frequency channel exceeds a predetermined threshold, and enabling a first channel acquisition operation responsive to determining that the signal parameter exceeds the predetermined threshold.

7710503, May 4, 2010

Sep 25, 2001

10/380717

Michael Anthony Pugel - Noblesville IN, US
Max Ward Muterspaugh - Indianapolis IN, US

Thomson Licensing - Issy les Moulineaux

H04N 5/00
H04B 17/00
H04B 1/06
H04N 5/44
H04N 5/50

348731, 348607, 348725, 348570, 4552261, 4552341

A signal processing arrangement has a signal source for providing a radio frequency (RF) signal, a signal output point, and first control means coupled between the signal source and the signal output point for controlling the selection of a low noise figure amplifier in response to the magnitude of an RF signal on a tuned channel frequency and the magnitude of an RF signal in the vicinity of said tuned channel frequency.