Abstract: A distributed locking apparatus for a collaborative computing system permits members of a collaborative session to obtain and transfer a lock without the use of a central lock server. Each member of the collaborative session has a lock engine, which transitions among four states depending on the location of the lock. An Available state indicates that the lock is available. A Pending state indicates that the member has requested the lock. A Held state indicates that the member currently holds the lock. A Locked state indicates that another member currently holds the lock. A message structure permits the members to obtain and release the lock and to resolve conflicts over the lock between members of the session.

Abstract: A keyless portable cellular phone system is provided, wherein matched sets of algorithmically generated communication units are generated, each communication unit pair defining a discrete time increment of authorized communication. One set is stored on a system server (i.e. a service provider), and the pre-paid set is available for use within a keyless portable cellular phone. The phone, normally non-activated, automatically contacts the system server upon selective activation by the user, to initiate a call (outgoing or incoming). A voice recognition system allows the user to place calls and/or receive calls. During a call, the keyless portable cellular phone periodically sends the sequential discrete airtime communication units, having unique identifiers (i.e. encryption), whereby the system server allows pre-paid authorized access to time increments of system services, such as communication, based upon the receipt of the matching, uniquely identified, sequential discrete airtime communication units.

Abstract: Signal delay and combining techniques are used with multipath signals to provide signal diversity gain within CDMA over-the-air repeater and low noise amplifier systems. An incoming signal from a remote user is typically processed through two processing paths, wherein one path adds a delay to the processed signal. The two signal paths are then combined and filtered through a sharp band pass filter, preferably a SAW filter. In an over the air repeater, the filtered signal is retransmitted towards a CDMA rake receiver at a base station, which can process the multipath signal to produce a clean signal representation. In a low noise amplifier, the filtered signal is transferred directly into a base station or repeater. The use of SAW filters protect the latter stages of the low noise amplifier, and also protect the base station from out-of-band signal interference.