Abstract: An Internet download enhancement system for downloading a file comprising an application arranged to initiate a download process and receive a downloaded file over one of a narrow band download path and a broadband broadcast download path, wherein modules in communication with the application are arranged to provide selectable download options among the available download paths. The selectable download options are based at least on an unused bandwidth of one or more of the download paths, thereby enabling the input of a selected download option. The modules are arranged in response to the input to cause a download process to download files over one of the narrow band download path and the broadband broadcast download path and then to output the downloaded file to application.

Abstract: A communication system includes a transmitter configured to pulse shape a GHM signal to confine the frequency spectrum of the GHM signal within a predefined frequency range. A receiver is also included that receives the transmitted GHM signal. The receiver includes a processor for maximizing the GHM signal to noise ratio and minimizing the bit error rate. The GHM signals are also synchronized to establish a relative time for correct interpretation of bit positions.

Abstract: The signaling overhead required for pilot symbol aided modulation is significantly reduced by recognizing that the residual uncertainty in the carrier frequency decreases after an initial carrier frequency estimate is made during an initial signal interval. This allows a commensurate reduction in channel process sampling rate during the remainder of the message; i.e., the frequency uncertainty of the pilot symbols can be decreased. This technique may be particularly effective when the rate of change of the received carrier frequency and phase is low as in fixed satellite terminal equipment. The resultant increase in spectral efficiency makes reduced-overhead pilot symbol aided modulation attractive for applications in low-cost/low-complexity terminal equipment.

Abstract: A computationally efficient and latency-minimized method of data acquisition and reconstruction for use with a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system comprises traversing acquired k-space data in a plurality of segments and computing sub-images for each of the segments. Thereafter, the sub-images are incrementally summed to form intermediate images for use in monitoring and diagnosis in said MRI system.

Abstract: A circuit for loading the rectified AC voltage bus in a housekeeping power supply for an electronically controlled load is provided for avoiding large increases in the rectified AC bus voltage upon disconnecting the load. The load circuit includes a current sink, a relatively small energy storage capacitance, and a negative feedback circuit. The current sink includes a resistance coupled to the rectified AC voltage bus for sinking current whenever the semiconductor switch is on. When the semiconductor switch is off, the small capacitance discharges through the resistive voltage divider. When the voltage across the small capacitance decreases to a threshold mean AC rectified voltage bus value, then the negative feedback circuit provides sufficient current to turn the semiconductor switch back on and thus provide approximately the threshold mean AC rectified voltage bus value.

Abstract: One type of electronic interface structure includes a base; at least one elastomeric island supported by the base; and patterned metallization overlying the at least one elastomeric island and including at least one floating pad at least partially overlying the at least one elastomeric island. Another type of electronic interface structure includes a base; a first dielectric layer overlying the base and having at least one first dielectric layer opening therein; a second dielectric layer overlying the first dielectric layer; and patterned metallization overlying the second dielectric layer and including at least one floating pad at least partially overlying the at least one opening.

Abstract: An image detector monitoring system includes a detector framing node and a host computer having at least one host processor and a host memory. The detector framing node acquires image data, buffers the acquired image data, and outputs the image data to the host memory according to a predetermined communication protocol. The host computer executes operations according to a non-real time operating system, and a host memory stores the image data received from the detector framing node. The detector framing node is controlled by executing a plurality of event instructions, which are stored in an event queue. Some event instructions control a radiation generation system, while others control communication with an image detection system or control the detector framing node itself. Each event instruction executed by the detector framing node includes a bit flag indicating whether the event is to be traced by the detector framing node. Traced events are stored as entries in a response log in host memory.

Abstract: A brevity signaling module for a digital television (DTV) receiver enables the reception of emergency broadcast messages. The overlay signal received at the receiver front end is squared in a squaring loop, producing spectral lines at DC and twice the overlay signal frequency, or 2&ohgr;, where &ohgr;=2&pgr;f and f is the center frequency of the overlay signal. The squared signal is passed through a narrow band filter having a bandwidth sufficient to pass a spectrum containing a plurality of tones 2&ohgr;, 2&ohgr;1, 2&ohgr;2, . . . , 2&ohgr;n, where 2&ohgr;1, 22, . . . , 2&ohgr;n are different frequency tones assigned to different auxiliary functions. The detected tone is used by a control module to determine whether normal multipath processing should be performed or whether this processing should be suppressed and auxiliary functions performed, including turning on the DTV receiver power in order that an emergency broadcast message might be conveyed to persons in the vicinity of the DTV receiver.

Abstract: An integrated tracking, telemetry and local area networking system is provided. A communications system comprises a broadband subsystem comprising at least one UWB node including a first UWB transceiver and at least one application node linked to the UWB node by a broadband link. The system further comprises a wireless subsystem comprising at least one remote communicator, the remote communicator including a second UWB transceiver. The first and second UWB transceivers are configured to communicate with each other via an UWB communications link.

Abstract: An assembly for transferring current comprises at least one electrically conductive slip ring; at least one electrically conductive brush for supplying current to the at least one slip ring; and an electric or pressure actuator driven vibration source for changing the position of the brush with respect to the slip ring. If desired, brush current can shared by using inductance variations or by selective coupling of rotor windings to the slip rings.

Abstract: A machine monitoring method includes obtaining signals indicative of machine conditions, machine rotational speed, direction, and load conditions over a segment of time, transforming the obtained signal indicative of machine conditions into a frequency spectrum, identifying low level features of the frequency spectrum, and processing the low level features to obtain an indicator value representative of the machine conditions.

Abstract: A self-localizing receive coil system for use with a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system comprises at least one surface coil assembly for placement adjacent to a region of interest to be imaged and a plurality of tracking devices attached to the surface coil assembly for use in indicating location and orientation of the surface coil assembly during imaging.

Abstract: Harmonic imaging using harmonic Golay-coded excitation that encodes the fundamental and second harmonic signals utilizes the transmit sequences encoded using QPSK implemented as quarter-cycle circular rotations or shifts of the base pulse. This is implemented by time shifting the chips of the transmit sequence encoded with a “j” or “−j” code symbol by ¼ fractional cycle at center frequency relative to the chips encoded with a “1” or “−1” code symbol. A different QPSK transmit code is used for each of four transmits A, B, C and D. The transmit codes are selected such that (A-B) and (C-D) are encoded by Y and −X, respectively, while (A2-B2) and (C2-D2) are encoded by X and Y, respectively, where X and Y form a Golay code pair. The coding and decoding technique achieves fundamental suppression and second harmonic compression for a given Golay code pair X and Y.

Abstract: A method for detecting core faults includes: positioning a magnetic yoke near at least one tooth of the core, the magnetic yoke being wound by a winding and comprising two core-facing surfaces and at least one flux sensor situated on at least one of the two core-facing surfaces; supplying current to the winding to inject magnetic flux into the at least one tooth; using the at least one flux sensor to measure a signal resulting from the injected magnetic flux; and using the measured signal to detect variations in flux on the at least one core-facing surface representative of core faults. A system includes: at least one magnetic yoke for being positioned near at least one tooth of the core and being wound by a winding and comprising two core-facing surfaces; and at least one flux sensor situated on at least one of the two core-facing surfaces.

Abstract: For ultrasound imaging using Golay-coded excitation for echocardiology, at least three focused and coded beams are transmitted at a fundamental frequency to each transmit focal zone during acquisition of acoustic data for a single image frame. The resulting receive vectors then undergo receive correlation and “slow-time” filtering, i.e., filtering from firing to firing. The “slow-time” filtering is accomplished by multiplying each set of receive correlation filter coefficients by respective scalar weightings before summing the resulting set of filtered receive vectors for subsequent processing to form one image scan line. Employment of more than two firings suppresses the sidelobe response without altering the mainlobe response substantially in the presence of tissue motion after the weighted receive vectors have been summed.

Abstract: A circuit and method for achieving hold time compatibility between data-source devices coupled to a data-requesting device through a data bus is provided. The circuit is made up of an impedance coupled to the data bus, and the value of that impedance is selected, based on a respective capacitance in the data bus, to introduce a predetermined delay to data passing therethrough.

Abstract: An optimized pulse waveform is used to excite contrast microbubbles such that the subharmonic signal may be easily isolated for imaging. By reducing the contribution of transmitted fundamental frequency f0 within the subharmonic band, the subharmonic imaging quality is improved. This is accomplished by transmitting an optimized pulse waveform and then filtering the received signal to isolate the subharmonic signal for imaging. The optimized pulse waveform has low spectral energy within a band of frequencies centered at f0/2 and high spectral energy within another band of frequencies centered at f0, where both bands are within the transducer passband. The contrast-generated subharmonic signal is extracted by a receive filter centered at f0/2.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe optically coupled to an electronic console comprises a multiplicity of transducer elements. Each transducer element is capable of transmitting and detecting ultrasound waves. Each transducer element constitutes a piezocomposite structure comprising mutually parallel rods of two types embedded in a passive polymer matrix: piezoelectric rods and micro-cavity laser rods. The piezoelectric rods are optically activated to generate an acoustic compression wave transmitted from the front face of the piezocomposite structure. The micro-cavity lasers produce a frequency-modulated optical signal having a frequency shift which is a function of a strain produced in the lasing medium by a returning acoustic wave impinging on the piezocomposite structure.

Abstract: A system for determining a maintenance schedule for a jet engine using at least remotely-gathered environmental data is provided. The system includes a remote monitor having a sensor for collecting the remotely-gathered environmental data. A data pathway is connected to the remote monitor. A processor is connected to the data pathway and processes the remotely-gathered environmental data collected by the remote monitor. An environmental database is connected to the data pathway and compiles and stores the remotely-gathered environmental data. A flight database is connected to the data pathway and compiles and stores flight data for the jet engine. The flight data includes at least thermal cycle data and time on wing data. The processor is adapted to generate the maintenance schedule for the jet engine based on the remotely-gathered environmental data and the flight data.

Abstract: A dc-to-dc converter is provided with overvoltage protection circuitry while still providing normal output voltage. Such overvoltage protection circuitry does not require resetting. The overvoltage protection circuitry includes a first switching device connected between the input bridge and a dc output voltage bus and further includes an overvoltage current path. The overvoltage current path includes a complementary switching device in series with Zener diode circuitry having a predetermined breakdown voltage, and further has a transition current path. The first switching device is closed for nominal input voltage and is open for overvoltages. When the input voltage exceeds the Zener diode breakdown voltage, the transition current path conducts current. When the threshold voltage of the complementary switching device is exceeded, the complementary switching device turns on and conducts current through the overvoltage current path.