IP Library Granted Patent US 12,431,938
Granted Patent B2
US 12,431,938 · App. 18/636,105 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Load condition detection

Inventors: Kevin Shun-Chieh Chuang (Belmont, MA); Alexandre Megretski (Acton, MA); Liam John Platt (Hartford, CT)
Assignee: MaxLinear, Inc.
H04B3/46G08B21/182
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,431,938
App. No.
18/636,105
Granted
Sep 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method may include obtaining a first signal at a first port of a communication system. The first signal may include a combination of an incident signal and a reflected signal. The method may include performing a first processing to the first signal. In response to the first processing, the method may include performing a second processing to the first signal. The method may include estimating a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) associated with a transmission line from results of the second processing to the first signal.

Claims (35)

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining an incident signal at a first port of a communication system, the incident signal including a measurement based on live traffic;

obtaining a reflected signal at a second port of the communication system;

performing a first processing in view of the incident signal and the reflected signal; and

performing a second processing comprising:

determining a delay between the incident signal and the reflected signal; and

determining one or more coefficients based on at least one of: the incident signal, the reflected signal or the delay.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first processing includes determining a sum of the incident signal and the reflected signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first processing includes determining a sum of a first loss of the incident signal and a second loss of the reflected signal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first processing includes determining a sum of a first power of the incident signal and a second power of the reflected signal.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a load condition for the communication system based on the first processing, wherein the load condition relates to a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR).

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first processing comprises normalizing the incident signal.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a port coupler that comprises the first port and the second port.

8. The method of claim 7 , the port coupler being configured in a forward flow with respect to a direction of the incident signal.

9. The method of claim 7 , the port coupler being configured in a reverse flow with respect to a direction of the incident signal.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an isolator to reduce power in a reverse direction with respect to a direction of the incident signal.

11. The method of claim 1 , the second processing comprising:

performing an alignment of the incident signal and the reflected signal using a determined delay to obtain an aligned first signal and an aligned second signal;

filtering the aligned first signal and the aligned second signal to obtain an interval of data spectrum including a filtered first signal and a filtered second signal; and

computing a communication system deviation response using the filtered first signal and the filtered second signal.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a load condition for the communication system based on the first processing.

13. A communication system, comprising:

a port coupler comprising:

a first port configured to receive an incident signal;

a second port configured to receive a reflected signal; and

one or more processors in electronic communication with the port coupler, the one or more processors being configured to:

perform a first processing in view of the incident signal and the reflected signal, and

determine a delay between the incident signal and the reflected signal.

14. The communication system of claim 13 , wherein the first processing includes determining a sum of the incident signal and the reflected signal.

15. The communication system of claim 13 , the one or more processors further configured to determine a load condition for the communication system based on the first processing, wherein the load condition relates to a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR).

16. The communication system of claim 13 , wherein when performing the first processing, the one or more processors is to normalize the incident signal.

17. The communication system of claim 13 , the port coupler being configured in a forward flow with respect to a direction of the incident signal.

18. The communication system of claim 13 , the port coupler being configured in a reverse flow with respect to a direction of the incident signal.

19. The communication system of claim 13 , the reflected signal being received at the second port via an isolator.

20. The communication system of claim 13 , the one or more processors further configured to determine one or more coefficients based on at least one of: the incident signal, or the reflected signal.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2026
From: MAXLINEAR, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 075800/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2024
From: CHUANG, KEVIN SHUN-CHIEH; MEGRETSKI, ALEXANDRE; PLATT, LIAM JOHN
To: MAXLINEAR, INC.
Reel/Frame 069222/0858 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17650070 · Feb 4, 2022
Related Publication 20240380431A1 · Nov 14, 2024
References Cited (11)
US 9647314B1 · Nguyen · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 11082015B2 · Gunzner · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11962363B2 · Chuang et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 20140050114A1 · Gao et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150035545A1 · Langer et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150288461A1 · Barabash · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150293304A1 · Borodulin · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150333781A1 · Alon · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20170264010A1 · Shi · 2017 [cited by examiner]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2023/062082, mailed Mar. 28, 2023, 7 Pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 17/650,070, dated Aug. 28, 2023, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]