Abstract: Arrays of magnets configured to create linear or rotary magnetic springs with multiple equilibrium points. Some of the equilibrium points are stable, while others are unstable. No mechanical contact is required between moving and stationary elements of the magnetic springs, resulting in a virtually unlimited lifetime. The magnetic springs can be utilized in conjunction with low force electromagnetic actuators to implement multi-step linear or rotary actuators with high force, very short movement time between unstable equilibrium points, and with near-zero holding power required to maintain actuator position at any unstable equilibrium point. Specific applications that embody the present invention may include, but are not limited to, optical filters, linear valves, or any mechanism that would benefit from an efficient magnetic spring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing electromagnetic treatment on engineering materials and products and for improving processing technologies and service characteristics of the materials. The apparatus integrates electromagnetic treatment with a thermal analyzer and a control system. The apparatus allows for precise control of the operating parameters of an electromagnetic treatment process in order to render significant improvement in the materials and products metallurgical characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides a method for prevention of corrosion in a metal object by inducing a surface current over the entire surface of the metal object. The surface current can be induced by direct or indirect application of electrical waveforms having AC components generated from a circuit. The metal body and the negative terminal of a source of DC voltage (battery) are grounded. The positive terminal of the source of DC voltage is connected to the electronic circuit that imparts electrical waveforms of low voltage DC to the conductive terminal connected to the metal body. Alternate methods of inducing surface currents include direct capacitor discharge through the metal body, or movement of an electromagnetic field over the metal body, or by generating an RF signal attached to a transmitting antenna such that the transmitted signal is received by the metal body.

Abstract: A fully automated, voice controlled business appointment/reservation system is provided. The system has a natural language voice user interface that emulates a live office administrator for appointment/reservation bookkeeping. It includes an efficient availability searching mechanism which enables a telephone user to quickly search and reserve available time slot based on his preference. Other described novel features and implementation improvements include method and system for voice controlled appointment/reservation cancellation, method and system for voice controlled appointment/reservation waiting list, method and system for new user service sign-up and account creation, method and system enabling sequential selective dialing of a telephone user list by voice command, and method and system for scheduling data administration by voice commands.

Abstract: The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a method of encoding bit error rates using a two-tiered system. If the bit error rate is less than a threshold value, the bit error rate is directly encoded in binary into substantially equal portions. However, if the error rate is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the error rate is encoded into equal valued amounts using a common step value. A remainder amount is also formulated to account for any remainders. Multiplying the equal valued amounts that are scaled by a common base value and then adding it all up along with the remainder amount results in a value which is at worst, within 0.2% of the original bit error rate value.

Abstract: Subroutines embedded in the software gather data during execution on a multiprocessor system with a shared resource. The data gathered relates to data contention (collisions) between processes in competing for the shared resource. Such data includes the number of collisions, the type of collisions, how much processing time is wasted by collisions, and how much processing time is used by successfully executed processes. After the data is gathered, this can be compiled and offloaded to a separate computer which calculates the software's performance relative to its shared resource.

Abstract: A tamper-proof cap for bottles with a body defined by a cylindrical base, an upper closing, an anti-sliding external surface, an internal adequate thread with interrupted sections, above which there is an internal sealing layer, while its lower end has an extension equally circular, which determines the sealing belt with an outwards increase of thickness of the wall and a circular cut line with breakable parts; the sealing belt presents, right above its lower end, a series of articulated blades designed radially inwards, spaced equidistantly, as well as presenting its base configured with a dimensional detail cooperating with the articulation thereof upwards, which makes said blades operating as locking components between the cap and the bottle; each blade presents at least one anti-attrition thread or flange, further considering that each breakable element is formed by a vertical part, which, in conjunction with the weakened points, allows the sealing belt to be destroyed when removing the cap.

Abstract: A method of determining the topology of a network comprising: transmitting a signal comprised of a sequence of bursts of packets formed of orthogonal signals, monitoring devices in the network including the destination device for reception of the signal, and defining a sequence of devices within the network by sensing a sequence of reception of the signal in the devices from the source device toward the destination device.

Abstract: A dielectric lens including a plurality of wedges being formed from a dielectric material, each of the plurality of wedges being substantially identical and orange-slice shaped and including two planar surfaces separated by an angular width, and each of the plurality of wedges having a plurality of gaps for altering an effective permittivity of the dielectric lens, wherein the plurality of wedges form the dielectric lens by connecting the plurality of wedges along the planar surfaces such that each of the planar surfaces intersect along a common line.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interference cancellation in a high-speed modem that includes a first coupler for receiving a differential signal including a received data signal, a second coupler for deriving a common mode signal for the transmitted signal, and a phase-shift circuit coupled to the second coupler for deriving orthogonal signals from the common mode signal. First and second multipliers mix the orthogonal signals with the received signal. First, second, and third integrators integrate the mixed orthogonal signals and the common mode signal to produce orthogonal signal level measurements ITONE and QTONE and a common mode signal level measurement CMTONE, respectively. A controller derives orthogonal correction signals from measurements by dividing ITONE and QTONE respectively by CMTONE and multiplying by an appropriate constant. This output is then used to increment or decrement the signals to the respective digital to analog converters, DACI and DACQ.

Abstract: Systems and devices for mechanically rotating the polarisation of a signal emanating from or being received by an antenna system. The rotation of the polarisation is achieved by mechanically rotating the feed using a non-metallic drive cord or belt connected to a motor which is displaced outside or behind the radiating aperture. For a linear array of multiple antenna elements, each feed for each antenna element is rotated simultaneously and by an equal amount through the use of a drive system common to all the feeds. The drive system is coupled to each feed and to a drive motor. When the motor is activated, the drive system simultaneously rotates each feed by a given amount. By rotating the feed, the polarisation of the signal is correspondingly rotated and compensation for polarisation loss is provided.

Abstract: The invention is a method of calibrating the sensor system of a wideband direction finder using a noise source. The sensor system includes at least two wideband tuners, and an analog/digital (A/D) converter connected to each wideband tuner. The calibration method involves selecting a common set of center frequencies for each of the wideband tuners. The wideband tuners receive a signal from the noise source on a per data frame basis. The passband of the received signal is then divided into a number of time-sampled data frames. For each time-sampled data frame, both a gain variation and a phase variation are calculated for the noise received at each wideband tuner. Gain and phase differences between the signal received by each wideband tuner within the same frame are compared. Based on the time-sampled data collected, the phase and gain differences for the signals received at the tuners which have not been previously mapped can be determined.

Abstract: A delay compensation circuit for a delay locked loop which includes a main delay line having a fine delay line comprising fine delay elements and a coarse delay line comprising coarse delay elements, the main delay line being controlled by a controller, the delay compensation circuit comprising: an adjustable fine delay for modeling a coarse delay element, a counter for controlling the adjustable fine delay to a value which is substantially the same as that of a coarse delay element, a circuit for applying a representation of the system clock to the delay compensation circuit, and a circuit for applying the fine delay count from the counter to the controller for adjusting the fine delay line of the main delay line to a value which is substantially the same as that of a coarse delay element of the main delay line.

Abstract: In a Java™ environment, a virtual keyboard is provided which is platform independent and which operates without modification to the Java™ applications with which it interacts. The virtual keyboard is integral to an embedded desktop which communicates between the Java™ Virtual Machine and any Java™ applications running on the system. The virtual keyboard comprises a simulated keyboard which is presented to a user on a touch screen and a virtual keyboard manager. The virtual keyboard manager acts as a focus listener for all components generated by the user interface of the applications running on the system. As a user engages components, focus events are tracked by the virtual keyboard manager, so that that the simulated keyboard will always reference the component selected by the user.

Abstract: An antenna system consisting of parabolic rectangular reflectors disposed contiguously in a linear array. The use of parabolic rectangular reflectors permits the reflectors to form a larger common rectangular aperture without gaps in illumination. The contiguous array of parabolic rectangular reflectors permits a lower profile which is ideal for use on an aircraft. Each parabolic rectangular reflector has its own feed system and each of the feeds are excited in phase. The combined radiation patterns of the parabolic reflectors produces a beam with a narrow width. This narrow beamwidth permits the system to communicate with one source while filtering out signals coming from other sources. In one embodiment, the antenna system may be mechanically steered in order to communicate with a transmitter and/or receiver whose relative position is continuously varying with respect to the antenna system.

Abstract: A pentagonal antenna array having a high aperture efficiency and a suitably high overall gain and low antenna noise temperature. The high aperture efficiency of this antenna system provides an overall system capacity suitable for broadband communication services. The antenna array consists of five antenna elements each located at a separate vertex of a pentagon. The antenna elements are helical antennas to provide a narrow antenna beam width. The antenna array itself is supported on a base platter which may be steered to point at a satellite using conventional gimbal ring apparatus. The base platter is a planar reflector to reflect the antenna element radiation in the rear direction and thereby reduce the antenna backlobe levels. The input power and the signal transmitted are fed through a phasing/combining network. The phasing/combining network appropriately divides the signal and the input power and phases the signal, prior to feeding the signal to each of the five antenna elements.

Abstract: A set of replacement skates for a scooter. The replacement skates are designed such that each replacement skate can replace a wheel on the scooter. Each replacement skate includes both a skate blade and a support structure. The support structure has two cross-sectional areas. The first cross-sectional sectional area is larger than the second cross-sectional sectional area such that the first cross-sectional area is oriented away from the scooter and the second cross-sectional area is oriented toward the footboard of the scooter. A kit may also be provided with a front end replacement skate and a rear end replacement skate. Both replacement skates have attachment means for fastening the skates to the scooter using the seine pins and fasteners used to attach the wheels.

Abstract: Transport networks are facing new challenges and opportunities because of the explosive growth of data traffic. Besides having to meet the ever increasing bandwidth demand, transport networks need to provide new functionalities for the support of data applications. Novel enhanced transport systems with inherent packet multiplexing to meet these challenges are described. It uses Internet protocols and technologies to implement these packet transport systems, and thereby re-use much of the existing Internet infrastructure already widely deployed.

Abstract: A method of determining computer network topologies that dramatically reduces the computational complexity and greatly increases the accuracy of connection determination. The method involves classifying ports as either up or down. A source address table is compiled for each port of each data-relay device and each port is classified as either up or down. Up ports connect to other data-relay devices which report source address tables while down ports do not. After the classification, each source address in each up port table is replaced by the source address of the data-relay devices containing the down port whose table contains that source address. The tables of pairs of up ports are compared by intersection and minimal intersection defines the most probable connection for each up port. A variety of methods are used to remove invalid source addresses and the addresses of devices that have moved during the collection of the source address tables.

Abstract: A memory controller controls a buffer which stores the most recently used addresses and associated data, but the data stored in the buffer is only a portion of a row of data (termed row head data) stored in main memory. In a memory access initiated by the CPU, both the buffer and main memory are accessed simultaneously. If the buffer contains the address requested, the buffer immediately begins to provide the associated row head data in a burst to the cache memory. Meanwhile, the same row address is activated in the main memory bank corresponding to the requested address found in the buffer. After the buffer provides the row head data, the remainder of the burst of requested data is provided by the main memory to the CPU.