Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are used to improve performance of spread spectrum communications equipment. The improvement may take the form of improved sensitivity to weak signals, quicker acquisition time of weak signals, or the reduction of multipath interference. To acquire a spread spectrum signal PN codes are commonly compared with the spread spectrum signal. This comparison is often in reality a successive series of comparisons with the same code. Successive comparisons are often carried out in a process called hypothesis testing by which the correlated output of the spread spectrum signal and the PN code must pass a series of thresholds. This method is adopted to prevent identifying a PN code as being present based on a spurious correlation value. This method of successive comparisons also prevents a low correlated value from being rejected immediately thereby helping assure that signals with low signal strength can be identified also.

Abstract: An aluminum-based material and method of manufacturing products from the aluminum-based material formed by a solid solution of zinc, magnesium and copper in aluminum with dispersed phase particles of aluminum, zinc, magnesium and copper essentially evenly distributed in the solution and particles of nickel aluminide being essentially evenly distributed in the matrix of the aluminum-based material that contains particles, essentially evenly distributed in the matrix, of at least one of the aluminides group such as chromium aluminide and zirconium aluminide, with a total content of 0.1-0.5% of the volume with the maximum amount of nickel aluminide particles being 3 &mgr;m and the proportion between the maximum and minimum amount of nickel aluminide particles of no more than 2 and with the maximum amount of chromium aluminide and zirconium aluminide particles is 0.

Abstract: A multimedia control apparatus (101, 201) provides for control over a plurality of media (145), including telephony, video conferencing, video display, home automation and control, and other communication systems such as voice mail. The multimedia control apparatus includes a network interface (110) coupleable to a network communication channel (103) for communication with a network (104); a user interface (120) responsive to receive a first control signal of a plurality of control signals; a plurality of media application modules (140), each media application module of the plurality of media application modules coupleable to a corresponding medium of a plurality of corresponding media (145); and a processor arrangement (130) having a plurality of operating modes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing ingress noise (304) in the upstream frequency band and reducing power consumption in a cable communication system (200) by not allowing signals generated in the customer premise (104) to enter the upstream frequency band on the cable network (110) unless a customer premise device (102) is attempting to establish a communication link. An RF detector (206) monitors the signals on the coaxial cable for an RF signal. The comparator (208) indicates to the logic circuit (210) when the RF signal has exceeded a minimum threshold. The logic circuit (210) determines if the subscriber premise device (102) is attempting to establish a communication link. If the subscriber premise device (102) is transmitting the logic circuit (210) closes the ingress switch (212) to connect the subscriber premise device (102) to the network.

Abstract: A method of rebuilding a managed information tree includes steps of retrieving a unique key (304); testing to determine if a parent of the unique key exists (308); and if the parent exists, creating a node (318).

Abstract: A communications system (100) having a number of communications units (134) connected to the communications system (100) in which the communications units (134) receive power from the communications system (100). In response to a loss of power or some other event requiring the communications units (134) to shift into an active state, the communications units (134) shift into the active state at different times, avoiding peak power loads within the communications system (100).