Abstract: In an orthogonal code division multiple access (OCDMA) radio communication system having at least one base station and a plurality of remote subscriber terminals, the improvement comprising the method of reducing the sensitivity of OCDMA to access noise due to time base error and multipath delay spread comprising (1) reducing the size of the orthogonal signal set on a single carrier, and (2) providing additional carriers with orthogonal frequency spacing for additional subscriber capacity.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of power transmission, and more specially, to a torque responsive belt tensioner for a friction belt. Because of recent concerns for the ecology of our planet there has been a resurgence of interest in human powered vehicles (HPV). This category incudes two, three and four-wheeled vehicles. The invention answers the need-for a power transmitting apparatus that will:a) provide forward motion,b) provide a coasting mode,c) provide a braking action,d) provide a reverse.The belt drive tensioner of this invention is lightweight and simple. It includes a rigid backing plate and idler carrier positioned on a drive shaft adjacent to a drive pulley. Two belt engaging members, rollers, or perpendicular columns or projections of sufficient height to contact the exterior surface of the drive belt are carried by the rigid backing plate.

Abstract: A dynamic patella brace useful for both diagnosis and treatment of patella subluxation, wherein the position of a patella bracing pad is allowed to float to be automatically dynamically repositionable depending upon the amount of flexion and movement of the knee and the amount of tension and pressure applied is provided. The brace includes an elastic sleeve having an aperture for registration and alignment of the knee therein. Additionally, the brace includes a strap assembly to which a plurality of elastic arm members and a patella bracing pad are attached. The strap also includes an anchor which serves to isolate the patella bracing pad from a counterarm member to allow the dynamic repositioning of the pad when the knee is flexed. The patella brace may be used to facilitate positive diagnosis of patella subluxation whose symptoms may mimic other pathological problems of the knee, and, therefore, lead to an erroneous diagnosis.

Abstract: An ultrashort pulse time hopping code-division-multiple-access (CDMA) RF communications system in the time-frequency domain comprises a transmitter including a short duration pulse generator for generating a short duration pulse in the picosecond to nanosecond range and a controller for controlling the generator, code means connected to the controller for varying the time position of each short pulse in frames of pulses in orthogonal superframes of ultrafast time hopping code division multiple access format, precise oscillator-clock for controlling such timing, encoding modems for transforming intelligence into pulse position modulation form, antenna/amplifier system. A homodyne receiver is provided for receiving and decoding the coded broadcast signal, and one or more utilization devices are connected to the homodyne receiver. Preferably, the codes are orthogonal codes with the temporal coding of the sequence of ultrafast, ultrawideband pulses constituting the carrier for transmission by the antenna system.

Abstract: A variable pitch percussion instrument comprising a drum body having an open end with an annular edge, and at least one drumhead assembly, including, flexible drumhead material stretched across the open end and an annular drumhead mounting ring secured to the perimetrical edges of the flexible drumhead so that tension can be increased on the drumhead by pressure between the open end of the drum body and the head. A plurality of flexible linear connecting elements, each having a pair of ends has one end of each of the flexible linear elements circumferentially around the mounting ring and the other ends, respectively, the other end of the drum body.

Abstract: A cellular telephone system having three or more cell sites with each cell site having a source of cellular communication signals and an RF transmitter and antenna for broadcasting the cellular communication signals. A direct sequence spread spectrum waveform carrying navigation signals is embedded in the cellular communication signals, including controlling the signal strength of the navigation signals so that the combined energy of the navigation signals from all cell sites at any location is at least a predetermined energy level below the energy level of the cellular communication signals. Each cell site includes timing for timing the operation of a GPS receiver.

Abstract: A system for obtaining optimum performance and optimum graceful degradation from Lie algebra descriptions of a spectrum of reconfigurable network architectures, including, neural nets and cellular automata comprised of interconnected nodes. The dynamic performance of the computational process is monitored by continued extraction of Liapounov exponent indicators, reconfiguring said reconfigurable network architecture when said indicators predict non-optimum performance. The reconfigurable networks are reconfigured and compensatory adjustments are made of signal sampling performance and operating system performance of said reconfigurable network architecture, and the operating system architecture is optimized to the computational task by reconfiguration of nodal capabilities and degree of interconnectedness between nodes to obtain any Lie algebra description architectural form between ideal neural net with maximum interconnectedness and ideal cellular automata with maximum nodal capability.

Abstract: A fluid actuated friction damper having telescopically movable inner and outer bodies, the outer body having an elongated, continuous friction surface. The inner body includes a first set of friction shoes engageable with the continuous friction surface, a fluid pressure responsive device for exerting a normal force to urge the friction shoes against the continuous friction surface, and a shuttle device supporting the friction shoes for limited axial movement between end stops on the inner body. The inner body also provides fluid pressure communication between an external source of pressurized fluid and the fluid pressure responsive device when the shuttle is at one of the stops and for isolating the fluid pressure responsive device from the external source when the shuttle is moved from the one stop.

Abstract: A wide bandwidth radio wave communication system having a dual feed pair of cross-polarized antennas having a common axis and being at orthogonal angles to each other. A source of RF signals is coupled to the antennas and a shifter device is between at least one of the pair of cross-polarized antennas and the source of RF signals for modulating the polarization of RF signals launched by the pair of cross-polarized antennas.

Abstract: A satellite communication system including one or more satellites in geosynchronous orbit and inclined at a predetermined angle greater than 0.degree. relative to earth, a preferred angle being about 28.5.degree. for full earth coverage, there is a constellation of satellites. Each satellite has a multi-element phased array antenna and transmit and receive circuits selectively connected to said multi-element phased array antenna for providing spatially discriminated spot radiation beams on the earth's surface, and a steerable spaced/ground antenna and transmitter-receiver circuitry connected thereto. At least one gateway ground terminal having means for performing all spacecraft command and control, including uplink phasing of said phased array antenna for directive satellite transmissions to desired user locations.

Abstract: A bicycle having an improved suspension system including a rotary damper and composite springs. Springs which closely control the direction of allowable movement in the suspension preclude rocking, twisting or unwanted lateral deflections.

Abstract: An impedance matching cable system for electronically coupling a musical instrument to an amplifier. The musical instrument has at least one signal output conductor and a common conductor. A field effect transistor (FET) having gate, source and drain electrodes is connected to a bipolar direct current voltage supply having a pair of voltage end point connections and a center point voltage connection by connecting the source electrode to one of said voltage end point connections, and the current control device connecting the drain electrode to the other voltage end point connection. The center voltage connection point is connected to the common conductor and a coupler AC voltage at the drain electrode to the amplifier.

Abstract: A data-in-voice modem is disclosed using charge coupled devices. Unique features include: (1) Baseband-to-IF upconversion to enable CCD-based demod/processing; (2) All analog (no analog-to-digital A/D required); option for post-CCD A/D; (3) Additional on-chip functions; (4) Stand-alone, CCD-based high-rate modem over telephone lines; and (5) CCD-based cable-tv/multimedia processing, via baseband-to-IF upconversion, followed by IF-sampled CCD processing.

Abstract: An OCDMA communication system in which channel signals are bandwidth spread according to a PN code and each channel is identified by a selected one of a set of RW code accesses. The set of RW codes is reduced by predetermined one (preferably RW.sub.0). Each transceiver has acquisition and tracking circuitry which search for a null (e.g., the unsent RW access code) falling lower than a predetermined threshold value and synchronizing tracking on detection of the null.

Abstract: An existing TDRSS satellite communication system is incorporated, together with low-power ground-based remote transceivers of special design, and additional beam forming and steering elements at the ground terminals, to make possible digital communication between low power field transceivers and satellite ground terminals. The satellite communication system transmits to its ground terminals a composite signal, comprising amplified, phase-coherent signals received by an array of broad-coverage antennas on the satellite. The field transceiver transmits a pseudonoise coded signal spread across all or a portion of the satellite's receive bandwidth. At the ground terminal, the downlinked composite signal is processed by a beamformer to define a narrow, high-gain beam between the satellite and low-power transceiver. Signal processing gain and beamformer gain in combination serve to elevate the received, demodulated signals well above the noise level at the receiver.

Abstract: A fluid actuated friction damper having telescopically movable inner and outer bodies, the outer body having an elongated, continuous friction surface. The inner body includes a first set of friction shoes engageable with the continuous friction surface, a fluid pressure responsive device for exerting a normal force to urge the friction shoes against the continuous friction surface, and a shuttle device supporting the friction shoes for limited axial movement between end stops on the inner body. The inner body also provides fluid pressure communication between an external source of pressurized fluid and the fluid pressure responsive device when the shuttle is at one of the stops and for isolating the fluid pressure responsive device from the external source when the shuttle is moved from the one stop.

Abstract: The present invention is based on novel implementation techniques which makes orthogonal CDMA practical in a short range mobile telephone environment where significant multipath fading exists. Specifically, this invention provides novel techniques for establishing the time base, frequency, and power control necessary to achieve orthogonality. Use of a high power sounding burst on the outbound link permits: 1) antenna diversity selection to minimize the probability of a faded condition, 2) local frequency locking at the subscriber terminal which avoids the requirement for a costly precision frequency standard, and 3) essentially instantaneous inbound power control based on the outbound receive signal level. This is effective since time division duplexing is used and both transmission and reception take place on the same frequency. With the short frame structure and unique placement of the sounding burst the correlation between the outbound and inbound path losses is very high.

Abstract: A modulator system for generating a plurality of individual modulated RF signals and combining them and transmitting them in different frequency channels. The invention provides a practical method and apparatus for generating and combining a multiplicity of CDMA signals in several radio channels using digital circuitry. Further, several such band segments can be generated in parallel and combined to cover a large bandwidth. The invention generates this multiplicity of signals and combines them at baseband using all digital techniques. The advantage of this approach is a great simplification in hardware and improvement in reliability, as well as flexibility.

Abstract: An ultrasonic edge detector system wherein the lateral position of a moving web or sheet is monitored by projecting an ultrasonic beam from a transmitting transducer toward a receiving transducer and the web edge occludes or shadows more or less of the ultrasonic beam changing the ultrasonic energy received by the receiving transducer. Changes in output of the receiving transducer are detected as a measure of change in edge position. Accuracy in the measurement of the position of the edge is achieved by lengthening the path of acoustic energy from the transmitting transducer to the receiving transducer by positioning an acoustic reflector in said path. Reverberations are reduced by causing the angle of incidence of the ultrasonic beam to be at an angle .alpha. of greater than 0 degrees. A dual receiving transducer system is disclosed compensating for fluctuations in power to the edge detector system.

Abstract: A high efficiency lightweight bicycle handlebar using strong, stiff fibers and a structural resin is disclosed. Relatively low modulus fibers are used in the axial direction and relatively high modulus fibers in the transverse or hoop direction. The hoop fibers are placed on the inside and outside diameters.